A new initiative is being set up in the Waitaki to try and address the “throwaway society” we live in.

Repair Cafes are a global movement, and Repair Cafe Aotearoa runs free pop-up events around the country. Waitaki Resource Recovery Park manager Trish Hurley is keen to bring a taster here.

The events are focused on repairing household items, rather than throwing them out, Trish said.

“It's to try and bring people together to educate and connect and try and fix the things that are fixable and give them a new life span,” she said.

“Fantastic support” from the Waitaki District Council Waste Minimisation Fund means Ōamaru, Hampden and Waihemo will have their own Repair Cafes in early March, with dates yet to be confirmed.

An information evening is being held in Ōamaru on Monday (February 12), to see how many potential volunteers are willing to lend their skills to the cause.

“So, Monday we're having an information evening, where anybody who's keen to be a part of it, or if they've got any expertise, whether it be sharpening knives, or garden tools, or doing some minor repairs, can find out about it,” Trish said.

She has already been contacted by people keen to be involved, but “the more the merrier”.

“Because we want to be able to have as many stations as we possibly can so that we can try and reach a lot more people.”

Once the organisation team can see what skills are available, they will be better placed to know what the Repair Cafes will look like, and what items can be restored.

Repairing things “sits squarely in the upper part of the waste hierarchy”, Trish said, meaning it is one of the more impactful ways of waste minimisation.

“And helps people see their possessions and resources, see them in a new light.”

Graphic: supplied

Monday’s workshop is being held at Ōamaru’s Scottish Hall at 6pm. People are welcome to just turn up, or can make contact with Trish via email at [email protected] beforehand if they have any questions.

The funding is just for one-off events at this stage, but if there is enough community interest, seeking outside funding is a possibility, so the cafes could become more regular.

The intention is repairs will be free, but those which can’t be done on the day, and might require extra work or parts, can be negotiated between the repairer and the customer, as to what the costs will be, Trish said.

She is also hoping to get interested school and community groups to join in, such as the Recycle a Device (RAD) group, and even a group that might run a cake stall.

“So we're not closing it off to people, just trying to get as much there as we possibly can. 

“We're just looking generally for skilled professionals, repairers, community members, volunteers for their time to help out at the events.”

There may be a koha available to show appreciation of volunteers’ time and efforts, and refreshments will be supplied.