With the first Griffith University Repair Café for 2025 having been held at Nathan Campus on the 18th of March, I thought it would be the perfect time to shine a light on this absolute gem happening across campuses!
What are Repair Cafés
Repair Cafés are pop ups where you can get your items repaired free of charge. The most popular repairs involve sewing and mending, electronics, jewellery, shoe repairs and general repairs. It is preferred that you book in your items, however, drop-ins on the day are also welcomed.
The great thing about Repair Cafés is that it benefits both the community and the environment whilst promoting sustainable practices. Keeping items out of landfill AND revitalising your favourite items? It’s a win for everyone!
Whilst getting your item fixed you have the opportunity to watch the fixers fix your items, ask questions and learn a thing or two about repairing. It’s such a wonderful initiative for everyone involved!
When and where are the Cafés for Trimester 1 2025?
At Griffith University, Repair Cafés run at the Nathan, South Bank and Gold Coast Campuses by the wonderful Dr Leanne Wiseman and Dr Lisa Durnian as well as a handful of amazing student volunteers. You may have missed the first Repair Café at Nathan in Week 3, but don’t worry! In Trimester 1, the future café dates are:
| Nathan Campus | South Bank Campus | Gold Coast Campus |
| Week 8 – 30th of April | Week 9 – 9th of May | Week 9 – 7th of May |
Check the Griffith University Repair Café Instagram profile to keep up to date with any date changes or interesting updates!
Why run this event?
These Repair Cafes benefit more than just your wardrobe and your wallet, they benefit the planet. Through community education of repairing and creation of a space to have your items repaired free of charge, these cafés are changing the way we think about our items and our consumption. Before coming to the café you may have considered throwing away numerous items which just need a simple fix. Repair Café’s are a step towards limiting consumption and being more mindful about waste.
To make this even better, Repair Café’s are all over the place! Griffith University is one of 110 Repair Café’s in the country listed on the Australian Community Repair Group Map so be on the lookout! Whilst the initiative is relatively new in Australia, with the first one being held in Sydney in 2015, Griffith University is leading the way since its inception in 2023, having conducted over 7 Cafés.
My experience volunteering at the Repair Café
I volunteered at the first Nathan Repair Café for 2025 as a sewist and general repairwoman, and I found the experience to be invaluable. There are so many lovely and talented people involved who truly care about the environment and helping others. The Repair Café’s are truly wonderful and the sense of community and kindness that is fostered through these events is so wonderful.
How you can be involved
You could get involved by booking in for a repair or coming on the day, volunteering or just coming along to say “hi”.
You don’t have the be a fixer to volunteer and support the Repair Café’s; volunteer helpers who assist with admin, setting up, registration/triage and desk duties are just as important as the volunteer fixers.
So why not join us at the next Repair Café? Let us know your experiences or what you think of Repair Café’s in the comments below!
The Griffith Journal 
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