What is a Repair Café?
A Repair Café is a free event where volunteers carry out all kinds of repairs on items such as clothing, furniture, electrical appliances, bicycles, jewellery and toys. The first Repair Café was established in Amsterdam in 2009. There are now almost 3,400 Repair Cafés operating around the world.
Staying active
Paul Kleijsen is co-founder of Repair Café Raamsdonksveer. “After retiring in 2020, I wanted to stay active. When energy prices skyrocketed in 2022 and everything became much more expensive, I saw that many people were struggling to make ends meet. What would happen if their vacuum cleaner broke down too? I do a lot of odd jobs myself at home and thought: I have to do something about this. That's how I came into contact with the local welfare organisation Trema, and from there the idea was born to start a Repair Café together with two other people. We then gathered information from Cees Goverde of Repair Café Oosterhout about what was involved. That location has been around since 2014.”
Sustainable and cost-effective
“In May 2023, around 100 visitors came to the first day of Repair Café Raamsdonksveer. We are open every third Saturday of the month in the Henricus building at Schoolpad 2a. Since then, we have had an average of 40 to 45 visitors per visit, and in about 70% of cases we are able to make people happy with a successful repair. This means they don't have to replace their item immediately, which is much more sustainable. And all this for a voluntary donation.”
Grateful volunteer work
“The work our volunteers do is very rewarding,” Cees continues. He can be found at De Slotjes community centre in Oosterhout every last Saturday of the month from 10:00 to 14:00. “Some visitors come with a broken object that has emotional value, such as a clock. These are often old family heirlooms, and sometimes all that is needed is to re-lubricate the movement. However, in many cases, it is also about people who do not have the means to replace a broken product.” Paul tells a story that touched him deeply: “A young mother once came to see us. The brakes on her bicycle weren’t working properly. She said she couldn't do without her bicycle and therefore hadn't taken it to a bicycle repair shop yet. After we repaired not only the brakes but also the lights, tyres, luggage rack and kickstand, she was able to safely take her children out again. That makes us happy!”
Meeting point
In addition to sustainability, Repair Cafés appear to fulfil another important function. “Visitors are offered a complimentary cup of coffee or tea, which naturally leads to pleasant encounters. A Repair Café is therefore also a social venue, which the municipality wholeheartedly encourages. For example, the municipality pays the rent for our location and is one of our loyal sponsors.”
Happy with professional soldering stations
“Over time, we have accumulated a considerable amount of tools. Some of them are DIY quality, but that is often good enough. However, when the Geertruidenberg Education & Technology Foundation asked us if we were interested in some professional soldering stations, we immediately said yes! Martin van Aperloo from MCAP had informed them that they had replaced all their soldering stations and wanted to donate their used equipment to a good cause. This allowed us and our colleagues in Oosterhout to supplement our simple soldering irons with adjustable soldering stations, and we are very grateful to MCAP for that.”
There's always a Repair Café nearby
Do you have a device, item of clothing, piece of furniture, bicycle, piece of jewellery or toy that is broken? Don't rush out and buy a new one. In many cases, it can be repaired and will last for a long time to come. This way, you contribute to a more sustainable world and save money at the same time. Check the Repair Café website for a location near you. Who knows, your device might be repaired with a soldering station donated by MCAP. Are you handy and do you enjoy helping others? Then ask about the possibilities of becoming a volunteer at one of the Repair Cafés. They are always looking for enthusiastic people.
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