The Repair Café – a café that teaches you how to fix your broken items – is a global phenomenon that’s just hit Beenleigh.
The cafe is set to open June 3 and will be run by the Beenleigh Neighbourhood Centre on James Street.
The first repair café opened in 2009 in Amsterdam and now there are over 2500 around the world.
Community development officer for Beenleigh Neighbourhood Centre Anthony Ketland said it’s time Logan joins the fun.
“As a centre, we have started taking steps towards more sustainable practices, we put solar panels up, a community garden in and a repair café is just something we thought would be a great next step in that direction,” he said.
“Repair Cafes have gone up in Brisbane, but there are none in Logan City, so we thought we would jump in to be the first.”
A Repair Cafe typically asks customers to bring in their broken items and together with specialists from the café, they will learn how to fix them.
This could be anything from clothes to furniture, electrical appliances, bicycles, or toys.
“If anyone has a broken item, you can come in and sit down with a repairer and learn how to fix it, that way you’ll learn new skills and most stuff will get a second life and it won’t just go in the bin for landfill,” Mr Ketland said.
“We believe in utilising practical skills and helping people see the value in repairing broken items rather than replacing them.
“A Repair Cafe is a place for exactly that; bringing people together to work alongside specialists and help us move towards a more sustainable society.”
Mr Ketland said Beenleigh’s Repair Café will be run by volunteers.
“We are recruiting volunteers in a range of different things, people who can fix and repair electrical goods, computers, sewing and textiles, and really any type of skills to help out,” he said.
“The café will likely be run from the Beenleigh Neighbourhood Centre, with tea, coffee biscuits and sandwiches available.
“There is no charge for any of it, so we are welcoming donations for supplies and materials for the repairs.”
Those interested in volunteering or donating items to Repair Café Beenleigh can send an email to repaircafe@beenleigh.org.au or call 3287 2840.
