Toowoomba Repair Cafe secures site

TOOWOOMBA’S first Repair Cafe is close to opening, with a planning meeting set for September 7.

Volunteers interested in repairing broken electronics, bikes, furniture and clothes are invited to join the café.

It will be an informal place where community members can volunteer their repair knowledge and teach others basic wood working, electrical, sewing and mechanical skills.

The meet up will be held monthly at Infinite Care.

“There is a purpose-built men’s shed on site already,” organiser Robert Wendt said.

“It is about the size of a onecar garage, with air-conditioning and workbenches.

“There is also a café on site. I will set up the sewing and mending volunteers in the corner of the café.”

This first meeting will give volunteers a chance to meet each other.

Mr Wendt needs help building a website, sorting roles, printing pamphlets and promoting the concept.

His wife Sharon said the café would teach the public how to fix things, while diverting waste from landfill.

“We throw away vast amounts of stuff, even things with almost nothing wrong and which could get a new lease on life after a simple repair,” she said.

“The trouble is lots of people have forgotten that they can repair things themselves or they no longer know how.

“Society does not always show much appreciation for the people who still have this practical knowledge, and against their will they are often left standing on the sidelines.”

With consumer products becoming cheaper by the day, it is easy to replace a busted item, rather than repair it.

Mrs Wendt said learning how to repair broken stuff would fix our struggling environment.

“This reduces the volume of raw materials and energy needed to make new products,” she said.

“It cuts CO2 emissions, for example, because manufacturing new products and recycling old ones causes CO2 to be released,” she said.

“The Repair Café teaches people to see their possessions in a new light, and to, once again, appreciate their value.”

The foundation meeting will held Saturday, September 7, 10am at Infinite Care, 69 Stuart St, Mount Lofty.

For more details, or to get involved, phone 0407 164 186.