New life will be being given to broken electrical appliances, toys, garden tools and mobile phones at a Lake Macquarie popup cafe offering free repairs this month.
Sustainable Neighbourhood Alliance Leader Samantha Doove said the pop-up Repair Cafe at Warners Bay Theatre is all about encouraging a more sustainable lifestyle by repairing broken items that would otherwise be destined for the bin.
“The aim is to divert waste away from landfills and allow community members to think about repairing old items as opposed to buying new ones,” Ms Doove said.
“Clothing items, textiles, small electrical appliances, toys, small furniture, garden tools and even your mobile phone can be brought in and we’ll have repairers on-site to help fix them.”
A similar event held in 2020 saw volunteers mend more than 100 items.
“In the past, we’ve fixed fringed leather jackets, an old Mickey Mouse toy and a chair built in the 1900s – the owner was an elderly woman and her husband had made it after the war.”
Lake Macquarie Council Manager Community Partnerships Andrew Bryant said sustainable workshops would also be held at Belmont Library as part of a series of events called ‘Too Good to Waste’ in March, teaching attendees how to make drawstring veggie bags from old curtain fabric and t-shirt cording.
“Events like this help connect the community and provide a space for people to share and learn really important repair skills, which have been partially lost over generations,” Mr Bryant said.
“We’re calling on anyone with repair experience to lend a hand at cafe events and ensure we drive down landfill.”
The pop-up events will also feature a ‘deconstruction zone’ aimed at inspiring younger minds who are curious about dismantling objects to rebuild.
The Repair Cafe will be open on three separate occasions, starting March 13, and forms part of an event series, called ‘Too Good to Waste’. Visit lakemac.com.au/repair-cafe to find out more.
