REPAIR Cafe Inglewood is a volunteer-run community organisation taking shape in Inglewood.

We draw on local creative and technical skills, to help residents fix everyday items instead of replacing them, easing cost-of-living pressure.

Repair Cafe Inglewood was created late last year and is bringing community members together through pop-up events and volunteer planning sessions focused on repairing household goods, reducing waste and sharing practical skills. 

The initiative has gained strong early support in a suburb known for its culture of volunteering and hands-on participation.

• Cafe participants Margaret Harwood and Lien See Leong. Photos courtest Repair Cafe Inglewood

Lien See Leong, a costume designer currently working down south on Breakers, the first Netflix series to be filmed in Western Australia, volunteered at the Repair Cafe Inglewood pop up late last year.

While her current project is contributing to the growth of WA’s screen industry by diversifying the economy, creating local jobs and unlocking new opportunities for creative talent, Leong said the appeal of the repair cafe is just as powerful at a community level and she has committed to volunteering whenever possible.

The project is led by Anneliese McNeil and I (Simmone Sache) a couple of locals who are focused on building a consistent, volunteer-run repair cafe that can serve the community year-round.

Inglewood is full of skilled, creative people who are generous with their time.

Anneliese says the impact of repair cafes go beyond waste reduction.

• Cafe founders Anneliese McNeil and Simmone Sache.

“They’re also about sharing knowledge, building confidence and creating welcoming, inclusive spaces where people can connect,” she said.

Repair cafes form part of a growing international movement responding to cost-of-living pressures. As appliance prices rise and product lifespans shorten, repair is often no longer cheaper than replacement.

Volunteer-run models remove labour costs, making fixing viable again for many households.

Across Australia and internationally, more people are turning to repairing, mending and upcycling out of necessity as much as sustainability, using community repair spaces to bridge the widening gap between what things cost and what people can

afford.

While interest continues to grow, the challenge now is ensuring Repair Cafe Inglewood becomes a reliable monthly service, with access to space, insurance and volunteers.

For more information look us up on Facebook or email repaircafeinglewood@gmail.com

by SIMMONE SACHE