Qualicum Beach will hold the first Oceanside Repair Café for the District 69 community.
The cafe, to be held on Saturday, April 20 at St. Stephen’s United Church on 150 Village Way in Qualicum Beach, is a neighbourhood event where people can bring their broken or damaged goods and residents with a knack for repairing will help them get their items fixed, for free.
Volunteering their skills are repairers who know how to fix small appliances such as coffee makers, toasters, vacuums and blenders; small electronics that are repairable; computers, iPads, phones; lamps; small furniture such as wobbly chairs; and bicycles. There will also be volunteers who can mend clothing and sharpen knives.
There are some conditions — bring only what you can carry. Those who attend are encouraged to bring one item only, so that as many people as possible can be helped. A second item may be fixed once others have had their turn.
“We want to help with projects like the Regional District of Nanaimo’s Zero Waste campaign,” says Anne Skipsey, organizer of the event acting as an individual, not in her role as town councillor. “This event can keep things out of the landfill.”
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Enthusiastic neighbours and friends have come together to make the Repair Café happen.
Learning repair skills is important to organizer Tony Doig, who, with the help of many volunteers, has built his own sustainable home in Qualicum Bay.
“I have learned to fix almost anything,” says Doig. “These needed skills can be revived in our communities.”
People are invited to watch and learn from repairers, while enjoying free coffee, tea and baked goods provided by St. Mark’s Anglican Church volunteers.
Voluntary donations to help fund future Repair Cafés are appreciated.
The concept of a Repair Café was the brainchild of Martine Postma who held the first event in 2009 in a theatre in Amsterdam.
There are now Repair Cafés held in 27 countries worldwide. Regular Repair Cafés are held in North Saanich and Fairfield on Vancouver Island. For information see www.repaircafeoceanside.ca.
— NEWS Staff