Have you always wanted to learn how to change a tap washer, clean your jewellery or sharpen your knives?
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Living Care will be hosting a free ‘Repair Cafe’ at Clelland Lodge to help people with small repairs.
The first cafe will be held from 10am to 12pm on Wednesday, September 20.
Some of the skills on offer at the first cafe will be how to adjust brakes on walkers or rollators, how to sharpen knives and secateurs, small eyeglass repairs, how to change a tap washer, and how to clean your jewellery properly.
Everyone is welcome, even if it’s just to have a free coffee and a chat.
The cafe will also be held on October 25 and November 15.
The Repair Cafe concept was introduced in the Netherlands by Martine Postma in 2009. There is now more than 1000 cafes worldwide.
There are less than 10 Repair Cafes in Australia. Living Care believe they will be the first aged care provider to set one up in a residential aged care home.
The cafe will operate once a month.
Trained volunteers from the community and the aged care home will set up repair stations and teach members of the community how to make simple repairs.
Certificate IV Community Services students from Nowra TAFE will help with the setup of the project, forming form the basis of their major Community Development project for their course.
It is hoped people will think twice before disposing what could easily be repaired and will include services such as sharpening garden tools, sewing on buttons taking up a hem and fixing torches.
“This innovative program will bring the community into our home and encourage intergenerational activity and engagement, sharing knowledge, offering social interaction and developing relationships and friendships,” Toni Wallwork, acting group diversional therapist manager said.
“However, we will take it further and hope to engage older people living alone in the community to come and socialise on the day and people with a disability who we hope to train in simple repairs and can help man repair stations with trained volunteers.
“It is thought the Repair Café will only bring positive outcomes for all involved and could be facilitated in different contexts across the Living Care organisation – watch this space.”
For more information call Toni at Clelland Lodge on 0431 455 181.