Got a broken item that needs some TLC? Stratford District Council (SDC) is opening the region’s first free Repair Café and is asking the community to book in repairs.

The Stratford Repair Café will run from 11am until 3pm, Saturday 3 December, at the Stratford War Memorial Centre. Stratford District residents are encouraged to book in their free repairs before Wednesday 30 November by emailing wasteminimisation@stratford.govt.nz or calling 06 765 6099.

Peter McNamara, SDC Waste and Water Education Officer, says booking in a repair will give the team of volunteer repairers the chance to make sure they have the right tools and materials on the day.

“There wouldn’t be a Repair Café without our talented volunteer repairers. These people have serious skills and are giving their time and expertise to help their community,” says Peter.

“We’ve got a mechatronics expert, skateboard artisan, registered electrician, and people who are a whizz with bikes, tools, or a sewing machine. If you’ve got a broken item, don’t throw it out and buy a new one. Get in touch. Our Repair Café volunteers might be able to help.”

Simple repairs at the café will be free. If it looks like a job will take over 30 minutes, the repairer can give a quote and timeframe for the repair. Any money collected for a quoted job will go to the repairer. There may be a charge for special parts or materials, but no mark-up will be added.

Peter says the Repair Café is part of a wider programme to reduce the amount of waste going into the landfill. Other initiatives have included an event to recycle child car seats and the introduction of a new Waste Levy Fund.

“We took a good look at the rubbish going into the Stratford Transfer Station and saw a lot of broken items that just needed a little love to come right again. That’s where the idea for the Repair Café started,” says Peter.

“The beauty is that it’s not just about waste minimisation. We’ll have food available for purchase and we’re inviting other waste minimisation groups to get involved too. It’s about coming together as a community to help each other out, sharing skills, and protecting our environment at the same time.”

For more information about the Repair Café, visit Stratford.govt.nz/RepairCafe

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