The 3 R’s on show at our 10th Repair Café

Repair Cafes are all about recycling, repairing and reducing waste.  Friends of the Farm held their 10th Repair Cafe at the Māngere Bridge Library recently, and locals were queuing at the door before 10.00am, waiting for the library to open, keen to get their precious items fixed.  Friends of the Farm’s mission is to build a more caring, connected, and waste-wise community, and events like this Repair Cafe tick all the boxes.

A velvet cushion, woollen jerseys, food mixers, irons, wooden boxes and soft toys and  lamps were assessed and repaired where possible.  Knives and garden tools were taken away for sharpening. One local was thrilled the electrician got her 50-year-old standard lamp working again, while another had a vintage jacket darned “as good as new”.  The head of a beloved furry alpaca toy was stitched back on securely and new eyes sewn in place, to the delight of local Harriet. “My grandson loves this toy and will be thrilled to see it whole again”.  She was so visibly pleased and excited with the outcome, it made us all feel happy! 

In total, 84 items brought in by the community and thanks to the hard working volunteers,  53 of those were successfully repaired! That’s 53 fewer items headed to landfill and 53 people who left with smiles, stories, and working toasters, zips, lamps, and more. 41 kg was saved from landfill and 257kg of CO2 emissions was prevented.  That’s the equivalent of nurturing 4 tree seedlings for 10 years. And let’s not forget that even if an item isn’t fixed, this event spreads the message about the benefits of community repair cafes and how to recycle correctly.

Located outside with the handymen Alan and Rob was a recycling display, reminding people of the recycling hub in the Library which collects blister packs , Colgate oral health and batteries.  Check out the large bags full of blister packs- that’s just one month’s worth! 

Tea, coffee and homemade cookies were served while people waited.   Local café Phnom Penh once again supplied volunteers with coffee and smoothies.   Local Kirsten commented “It’s wonderful to be part of this caring and connected community.  We appreciate the efforts of the volunteers and the Library staff to make this a successful and productive event.”   

The final Repair Cafe for 2025 is scheduled for Saturday 18 October and regulars are already considering what they will bring in for repair next time!

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