You don't have to throw away broken things, you can fix them: the Volkshochschule and the Bund Naturschutz (German Conservatory) and five years ago set up a repair café.
Gröbenzell - Citizens can come to the community center up to six times a year, where bicycles, small devices, computers are repaired or small changes are made to items of clothing. The chairwoman of the Bund Naturschutz Gröbenzell, Ariane Zuber, now looks back for the Tagblatt.
How did the Repair Café come about?
The Volkshochschule came up to me with the idea. An offer that she did not want to and could not carry out on her own. And they hoped for support from the Bund Naturschutz. What we were happy to do. The cooperation also works very well, thanks to the Volkshochschule, which puts the dates in their program again and again, many citizens learn about the Repair Café. VHS staff also look after registrations at every repair café.
Why is there a café?
The real idea is to offer help for self-help. This should give citizens the opportunity not to throw away defective items, but to learn how to repair them. This is fun and saves our resources. As a rule, however, the citizens have repairs carried out.
What do people bring?
Basically everything they can transport: bicycles, electrical items such as coffee machines, battery chargers, cell phones, stereos, computers, sewing machines, but also clothes that need to be changed or need a new zipper. Books are also being repaired. We cannot accept microwaves or televisions.
Then who repairs the broken things?
We have 15 repairers on hand who have gradually flown to us. Repairers who are between 18 and 82 years old. Most of the broken things can be repaired by them. They all work on a voluntary basis because they enjoy it. One of them even comes from Trudering to Groebenzell to help. "It's so nice with us," he explains. At the moment, however, the repair cafe is corona-related. We hope to be able to start again in the summer. Maybe with an outdoor bicycle repair café.
Is the repair café well received?
As a rule, around 70 citizens come. Not only Gröbenzeller, also from the east of Munich, a citizen always comes to have books repaired.
Is repair only carried out in the repair café?
No, we have also been offering a clothing swap exchange for some time. Visitors can also enjoy homemade cakes and fair trade coffee.
What do citizens have to pay for the repairs?
The repairs are free of charge, and the cakes are also given free of charge. Donations are welcome. Tools for the repair café are then procured for this money.
Do you have a wish for the Repair Cafe?
We would like to have the Repair Café take place more often. Unfortunately, the municipality of Gröbenzell has not been able to provide us with appointments for the rooms in the community center. We also urgently need storage space.
More news from Groebenzell can be found here.
Susanne Schwind
