Can we fix it? Cambridge co op reviving the repair-it-yourself approach

Repair Co Op - Cambridge was founded by father-of-two Geoff Bentley.

Waipa households put out around 468kg of rubbish each year. Something has to change — and maybe recycling isn't enough.

That's where The Repair Co Op - Cambridge steps in.

The club was launched by Cambridge father-of-two Geoff Bentley.

It aims to revive the repair-it-yourself approach and ditch the attitudes of a throwaway society.

Repair Co Op - Cambridge founder Geoff Bentley fixing a 1980s ghetto blaster.

The Repair Co Op meets monthly at Meraki Workspace, a shared co-working building at 32 Victoria Street.

The idea is to bring along a broken possession and have a go at fixing it with the help of others.

The club isn't a free repair shop where you rely on someone else's skills. It operates by having members learn how to fix their own items, swap skills and share tools.

"The aim is to learn how to do it yourself, but with support," Geoff says.

"Fixing things is an invaluable life-long skill that teaches patience and resilience. It's a bit like detective work — you've got to dig around for the answer."

Geoff is a self-taught handyman, citing YouTube as a helpful teacher.

He says recycling is good, but first must come reducing and reusing.

Waipa households put out around 468kg of rubbish each year.

"These days it's just so convenient to buy something new, rather than repair what you already have."

"We've lost that fix-it mentality our grandparents had."

Waipa District Council waste minimisation officer Sally Fraser agrees.

She says throwing an item into landfill is "the last resort".

Waipa District Council waste minimisation officer Sally Fraser says throwing an item into landfill is "the last resort".

"In Waipa, we are encouraging people to think of other ways to handle their waste," she says.

"It's as simple as reducing the amount of waste we personally create. That could mean not upgrading electronic devices that still work, or repairing them instead of replacing.

"It's really exciting to see organisations like The Repair Co Op encouraging waste minimisation in Cambridge at the moment."

Geoff started the club after attending The Repair Co Op in Hamilton, which meets at Go Eco in Frankton. He asked to start an arm of the same group in Cambridge.

Waipa residents of all ages and abilities are invited to the next group meeting. People with tools are encouraged to bring them.

"Bring along something you've been meaning to fix — anything which can be carried up a set of stairs — and we'll see what we can do."

The Repair Co Op meets during Cambridge Lions Trash & Treasure Market. It meets on Sunday, April 8 from 10am to midday upstairs at 32 Victoria Street, Cambridge. Visit its Facebook page for more information.