FOR Swan Hill’s repair cafe, both sustainability and socialising are an important part of their role in the community.
The skilled team of ‘Fixer-Volunteers’ meet every third Sunday of the month at the Men’s Shed, at the neighourhood house.
Running from 10am to 12.30pm, the team do their best to bring broken goods back to life, to the delight of both the owners and the volunteers.
Whether it’s repairing small appliances, furniture and toys, sharpening knives and tools or sewing clothes back into shape, the team do their best to get locals to repair their goods rather than replace them.
Repair cafes are a global movement that aim to reduce the amount of waste that end up in landfill, and also tries to teach people about how to look after their goods to keep them in working order.
The Repair Cafe was created by Martine Postma, who set up the first location in Amsterdam in 2009.
Relying on the goodwill of volunteers, Repair Cafes also provide people with a place to have a chat and a cup of tea as a Fixer repairs their items.
Facilitator of the Repair Cafe Leanne Skipsey said Swan Hill residents had taken to the program quickly.
“People have been quite delighted,” she said. “We get a lot of interaction online, whenever I put something up on Facebook, we get such great responses.”
“People really seem to enjoy coming in, it’s not just about getting your goods repaired, they seem to really enjoy the whole environment.
“It’s really lovely to see people engage with one another and have a cup of Devonshire tea while they wait. It’s just fantastic.”
Ms. Skipsey said the repair cafe has seen a variety of items throughout the years.
“We’ve had some really interesting things come through the doors over the years,” she said. “Antique, telephones and a metal garden sculpture of Ned Kelly’s armour spring to mind.”
“One thing that amazes me is the range of skills and level of competency our volunteers can provide. They really try their hand at anything, one minute they’re fixing a clock, the next they’re working on wooden chair legs.
“There was a time I brought in a little garden trowel, and within 20 minutes one of the volunteers had whipped over the woodworking machinery and turned a bit of timber into a new handle.
Ms. Skipsey said being around those interested in sustainability was an important part of Repair Cafes.
“They certainly get a real buzz out of being able to fix things for people,” she said. “Those who come in also get a real buzz out of being able to hold onto their items.”
