Woodend Repair Café is celebrating its first birthday tomorrow at the Woodend Farmers Market.
One of 38 officially registered repair cafés operating in Australia and part of a growing movement, the Woodend branch is very excited to have reached this significant milestone.
“I first heard about Repair Cafés overseas,” volunteer coordinator Jasley Wilding-McBride said.
“I just knew it would be perfect for our community.
“We’ve fixed well over 100 items in our first year of operation.
“I’m so proud that our wonderful team of volunteers have prevented yet more household waste ending up in landfill and have given people’s well-loved possessions a new lease of life.”
Woodend Repair Café is the first of its kind in the Macedon Ranges, and is now joined by Castlemaine, Ballarat and Bendigo in central Victoria.
The Repair Café International Foundation officially recorded 1653 cafes in operation around the world in 2018 and the number continues to grow. In its 2018 annual report it estimated that the global Repair Café movement had prevented over 350,000 kilos of waste, that is equivalent to the weight of 58 adult African elephants!
“It’s great to be part of such a positive movement,” said Patrick Hocking of Woodend Neighbourhood House, who regularly volunteers his computer repair skills at the café.
“People are so grateful when we are able to fix the items they bring in. We’re spreading the word that we don’t always have to buy new stuff; we can make do with what we have and live a more sustainable life and save money at the same time.”
So, what’s on the menu at the Woodend Repair Café?
– Clothing repairs
– Computer repairs
– Knife sharpening
– Furniture repairs
– Bike repairs
– General repairs
– Leather item repairs
– Watch battery replacement
Woodend Repair Café is open on the first Saturday of every month (Farmers Market Day) from 10am to 1pm. It is an initiative of Woodend Neighbourhood House and is located in the undercroft at the house. Access is through the community garden via the gates near the skate park and toy library. Drop by and enjoy a cuppa and find out a bit more. Woodend Repair Café services are free, but donations are welcomed to help cover costs.
Have you got a skill to share? They’d love to hear from you!
Call the Woodend Neighbourhood House on 5427 1845 or jump online at www.woodendnh.org.au/repaircafe
