Repair Café coming to Hastings

Local Hastings man James Taylor is working on making repairing instead of re-buying more achievable and accessible to everyone. Photo / Supplied

After seeing what Sustainable Napier was doing with the Napier Repair Café, Hastings local James Taylor wanted to make a space where Hastings residents could come and fix broken or damaged belongings instead of throwing them out and buying more.

Opening in May, the Hastings Repair Café is a new initiative that provides tools and opportunities to protect the environment and support sustainability.

With funding support from Hastings District Council’s Waste Minimisation Fund, Taylor can hold the repair sessions free for people to come along with broken or damaged belongings and local volunteer experts will do their best to repair them.

Taylor is aware that people might not have all the tools they need and is determined to make repairing accessible to everyone.

“I’d love to foster a culture of repair in New Zealand, for this to be front of mind for people when something they own breaks,” he said.

Taylor has lined up a series of different venues to be a part of a trial – with the goal of making the events permanent. The first Repair Café is taking place on May 14, at the Hastings Central Library from 1pm to 4pm.

The repair sessions aren’t just for those who need to get something fixed – but also for those who have skills and want to help do the fixing and teaching.

“We know not everyone has the skills to repair things, so we want to start educating people and actually make fixing achievable,” Taylor said.

His goal is to get people to really start thinking about what they buy, and when purchasing something to take a moment and think – if this breaks, could I fix it?

Taylor is on the lookout for volunteers too – from administrative support to bakers and fixer-uppers. If you’re keen to volunteer, email rch@outlook.co.nz

More information can be found online at https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2023/repair-cafe-hastings/hastings.