The Eco Centre was absolutely buzzing as people arrived carrying lamps, clothing, bikes, appliances, and treasured items needing a little attention. What followed was a morning full of fixing, learning, cups of coffee, and community connection.
What We Achieved Together
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our volunteers and visitors, here’s what happened during May’s Repair Café:
⭐ 20 amazing helpers
⭐ 32 volunteer hours
⭐ 45 visitors
⭐ 28 repairs brought in
⭐ Only two items were truly at the end of their life — but even then, people left with certainty before disposing of them. Everything else was either repaired or people were given advice and next steps to help get items repaired elsewhere.
Powered by Volunteers
Our Repair Cafés are community-powered, and this month truly showed what can happen when people come together with practical skills and a willingness to help.
Across the morning, volunteers:
repaired electrical items
fixed clothing and sewing repairs
helped people learn basic mending skills
supported beginner knitting
welcomed visitors
made hot drinks
photographed the event
troubleshot tricky repairs together
One of the best things about Repair Café is watching volunteers collaborate. Sometimes a repair becomes a group effort, with people sharing ideas and problem-solving together. There’s always curiosity, encouragement, and usually a few laughs along the way too.
Learning Alongside Repairs
A huge thank you to the wonderful team from Timaru Creative Fibre and our extra sewing volunteers who helped community members learn simple clothing repairs and knitting techniques during the event.
That sharing of knowledge is exactly what Repair Café is all about — community helping community.
For many people, sewing, knitting, mending, felting, weaving, and other creative fibre skills are about far more than just making things. These skills can:
help save money
extend the life of clothing and household items
reduce waste
improve wellbeing through mindful creativity
build confidence
create opportunities for connection with others
We know Sunday mornings don’t work for everyone, and some people are keen to continue learning beyond Repair Café. So we looked into some of the fantastic opportunities around Timaru where people can keep building creative and repair skills.
Where to Learn Sewing and Fibre Skills in Timaru
Timaru Creative Fibre
Open to anyone interested in using fibre to create items — including spinning, weaving, felting, needlework, and more using natural or man-made fibres.
They meet:
1st and 3rd Monday of each month
10am–2pm
Timaru Sewing Centre
The Timaru Sewing Centre offers a wide range of classes and workshops, including:
dressmaking classes
repair and alteration support
knitting and crochet sessions
patchwork classes
sewing machine and overlocker projects
short technical workshops
school holiday programmes
Classes are popular and often fill quickly, but they also welcome people seeking advice on sewing and crafting projects.
Timaru District Libraries Mend & Sew Groups
The Timaru District Libraries host Mend & Sew groups designed to help people complete upcycling, repurposing, and mending projects.
Sessions run twice monthly:
Geraldine — 1st & 3rd Mondays, 2.30pm–4.30pm
Timaru — 2nd & 4th Mondays, 2.30pm–4.30pm
Bookings are essential as spaces are limited.
The libraries also offer:
casual sewing machine use during opening hours
Knit & Natter sessions on Thursdays from 10am–12pm
Looking Ahead
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us in May — whether you brought along a repair, volunteered your time, shared your knowledge, or simply came along for a cuppa and conversation.
Repair Café is about so much more than fixing broken items. It’s about building confidence, sharing skills across generations, reducing waste, and creating a stronger, more connected community.
📅 Our next Repair Café is Sunday 14 June.
So… what’s sitting at your house that needs a little love?