Kerrod Trott 
According to Ray Mines, co-coordinator of the Willunga Repair Café, it all began with a visit to the Unley Repair Café as part of a Permaculture Design Course in 2024.
“It was so inspirational,” says Ray, “that we thought ‘we could do this in Willunga!’“
It’s well recognised globally that Repair Cafes have a number of benefits, including:
1) to repair household items (such as clothing, small electrical appliances, toys, gardening equipment, etc) in order to extend their useful life and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill,
2) for community members to work together to share knowledge, learn repair skills and reuse strategies,
3) build community social connections and expand awareness of living more sustainably, circular economy ideas and climate change.
Clothing repair is the most popular service at the Willunga Repair Cafe and accounts for 25% of repairs. Small electrical appliances are the next most popular accounting for 17% of repairs. People bring everything and anything!
“We have had a wide variety of items from watches to Sewing machines,” says Ray, “and from jeans to a wood chipper. You can never tell what’s going to come through the door on any day. “
The Café’s volunteer repair people love the social connection and helping people. One repairer says it’s the best day in the month and she looks forward to every event.
As for numbers? Ray says “We don’t count people – we count repairs. In the ten months since we opened, we have completed 342 repairs, with a success rate of 74%. This represents 537kg of items that have had their useful life span extended and been saved from landfill.”
The Willunga Repair Cafe usually happens on the first Saturday of every month between 1-4pm, at the Show Hall in Willunga. The next event is 1-4pm on December 6th.
For more info, check out the Facebook page at (4) Facebook
Email willungarepaircafe@gmail.com or scan the QR code below
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