Everything old will be new again at Oatley.
This month the Oatley Remakery and Sustainability Hub is starting free monthly Repair and Reuse Workshops at the Oatley Community.
The workshops will run throughout 2020 and are supported by a $48,000 grant from
the NSW Government's My Community Project Program.
Georges River Council is providing community space free of charge for the workshops.
"The new workshops will enable community members to gain new skills repairing everyday items, and will provide an opportunity for residents to swap unwanted clothes, household items, books and toys," Georges River Council mayor Kevin Greene said.
"We'll see a reduction in items going to landfill, less waste and will bring the philosophy of repair and reuse the forefront of our resident's minds," he said.
"Sometimes we can be too quick to discard items that could be made good as new again with a few expert tweaks."
The Oatley Remakery and Sustainability Hub Workshops will be facilitated by experts from The Bower Reuse and Repair Centre, who will share their varied knowledge on repairing and upcycling items.
Guido Verbist, Co-operative Manager at The Bower Reuse and Repair Centre Co-op said that the events will foster a culture of sharing and connectivity.
"We'll essentially offer a mini ECO festival on a monthly basis, where we will focus on the basic skills to repair furniture, electronic appliances and bikes," Guido said.
"Other organisations will also be invited to teach the community additional skills such as permaculture, boomerang bags sewing and bush care, as well as representatives from the Men's Shed and local crafters.
"We know from experience that the community loves these types of events, and we will also offer plenty of activities to keep the kids entertained.
"More and more people are looking for ways to avoid having to take their pre-loved goods to landfill, and these workshops are the perfect place to start."
The Oatley Remakery and Sustainability Hub Workshops will be held monthly throughout 2020, with dates and further details to be released soon.
The events will complement Council's Repair Café Workshops, which have been running in conjunction with The Bower Reuse and Repair Centre throughout 2019.
Themes have included small electricals and bike repairs, with the next workshop focusing on timber furniture repairs.
Next Council Timber Furniture Repair Café Workshop
Date: Tuesday 19 November 2019
Time: 10am-12pm
Address: Kingsgrove Community Centre, 30 Morgan Street, Kingsgrove
Register: Each workshop can accommodate up to 10 people. Call Council on 9330
6400 or email mail@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au to secure your spot
For more information on Council's Repair Café Workshops please visit: georgesriver.nsw.gov.au
Further information on The Bower Reuse & Repair Centre can be found at: bower.org.au.