Calling all handy people. Stratford Repair Café needs you!

Stratford District Council (SDC) is searching for skilled volunteers to help repair broken belongings in Stratford’s first ever pop-up Repair Café.

The Stratford Repair Café will be open in late November 2022 at the Stratford War Memorial Centre. While there won’t be any flat whites on offer, the café will take bookings for repairs from Stratford District residents. Talented volunteers will repair the items, which could be anything from bikes, beanies and broken zips, to toys, furniture and computers.

If it’s a small job, volunteers will repair it for free the same day it’s brought in. For complex jobs, repairers can give a quote and timeline for the repair. Any funds collected for a complicated job, will go to the repairer.

Peter McNamara, SDC Waste and Water Education Officer, says they’re looking for hobbyists and enthusiasts to donate a small amount of time to help their community and the planet.

“If you’re handy or crafty and can volunteer a day to help your fellow Stratford District residents, we want to hear from you. You don’t need to be a professional, although we want to hear from trade professionals, too.”

“When something stops working or gets broken, many of us throw it out and buy a new one. That’s expensive, adds to our landfills and can stay in our environment for hundreds, if not thousands of years before it breaks down. And some of us just can’t afford to replace items and are going without,” says Peter.

The Stratford Repair Café needs wood, metal and leather workers, bike and furniture repairers, people who can repair computers and basic electronics, an electrician, upholsters, knitters, crafters, and sewers, and general handy people.

“Share your skills with your community,” says Peter. “Let’s repair the belongings people love and need, and save our environment at the same time.”

People who want to volunteer, or who need more information, can contact Peter at pmcnamara@stratford.govt.nz or by calling 06 765 6099.