Repair Cafés

What is a Repair Café?

Our landfills are overflowing with items that could be repaired and reused. Repair Cafes are free pop-up events where local people bring in their broken and damaged belongings and local volunteer experts do their best to repair them. In 2022 Repair Café Aotearoa New Zealand (RCANZ) was created with the aim to develop and connect, inform, and support the network of people and organisations around New Zealand who organise community repair events in. There are currently around 40 Repair Cafés (and rising) in Aotearoa New Zealand. 

Palmerston North Repair Cafe 

We welcome you to come and get your things fixed, enjoy some much-needed downtime, activities for kids, connect with others over a hot cuppa, learn a bit about repairs, and embrace the sense of togetherness in a warm, welcoming atmosphere. 

For dates, the location and what we are able to repair on the day, please follow us on Facebook

Contact The Repair Cafe co-ordinator, Di Koch with any questions on circ.economy@enm.org.nz

Our Achievements 

Palmerston North Repair Café launched in September 2022 with the support of Environment Network Manawatū, PNCC, MENZSHED, and SuperGrans Manawatū. Since then, this is what we have achieved: 

Feilding Repair Cafe

With the support of the Feilding Menzshed, the Manawatu District Council and the Environment Network Manawatu the inaugural café was held on Saturday March 11, 2023, at the Caledonian Hall - the project has been very successful and will continue in 2024. 

For dates, the location and what we are able to repair on the day, please follow them on Facebook

Levin Repair Cafe 

The Levin Repair Café opened in November 2020, after several months of exploring the idea for starting up this regular local community based event.

For dates, the location and what we are able to repair on the day, please follow them on Facebook

Resources 

How to sharpen your tools and knives 

Keep an eye out for the Repair Festivals that happen twice a year. The Repair Festival Aotearoa addresses the need for accessible repair options across the country. They invite everyone to join the Repair Movement – communities, businesses, schools, universities, and libraries, advocacy groups, and government.