The Repair Café – Here we are in 2024 mending and recycling and repurposing, just like our parents and grandparents did 50 years ago. Clothing, bedding, outerwear, zippers, and buttons. This is how we are starting, who knows where we will end up. We have volunteers signed up with their sewing machines, patches, and glue guns ready to go.
Since 2009 Repair Cafes have popped up all across the world from their birth place in Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
This trend gave inspiration to our Leadership Coordinator Beth Wild from the East Oxford Anglican Parish in Oxford County to set up a Repair Café out of St. John’s in Eastwood.
Our concern for our Creator’s environment and the intention to divert textiles from entering our landfill is the driving force behind the mission of this project.
A unique aspect to the Repair Café is the opportunity for learning the ‘how to’ by the individuals who bring in the item for repair. Skills that were once so commonplace have been forgotten along the wayside, skills that are so needed in our current economic times.
The Norwich Salvation Army has been helping with supplies to get us started. Our team of volunteers have donated sewing machines, fabrics, and notions.
The volunteers have come from all three churches in our parish; Christ Church in Oxford Center, St. Paul’s in Princeton and St. John’s in Eastwood, each providing their exceptional skill set to repair and restore your items.
The Repair Café will be open from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm on the 4th Saturday of each month.
We are located at 685860 County Road 2, R.R.#5 Woodstock (Eastwood). For inquiries you may contact us at st.johnseastwood@gmail.com
Heather Garland