Busted oven has volunteers on the same wavelength

A BROKEN microwave has inspired a DIY repair initiative that has flourished into one of the Surf Coast’s most popular volunteer groups.

Jo Murray couldn’t bring herself to throw away her family’s microwave after 20 years of faithful service in 2017, stumping up a repair bill of $120 – $20 for materials, and $100 for labour.

Ms Murray decided there must be a better way to quickly fix household appliances and goods, and formed the volunteer network Surf Coast Repair Café alongside her friend Sue Guinness.

The Café – and the microwave – is still going strong, celebrating its fifth birthday earlier this month at its Anglesea Community Hall home.

The service has saved around 3.5 tonnes worth of rubbish from landfill by fixing 828 items and provided advice on 238 more during its tenure.

Dedicated 91-year-old volunteer Lyn Piggott, who claims the apocryphal title of the world’s oldest repair café volunteer, had the honour of cutting the cake for this month’s anniversary.

“My family call me Mrs Fix-it. They reckon I have a tool addiction my collection is so big,” Ms Piggott said.

“I love coming to the Repair Café and mending jewellery and other small items. The best part is the community spirit and way the volunteers all work together.”

Fellow volunteer Rod Tucker said the service kept locals engaged with each other while making a difference for sustainability.

“It gives us all a great sense of satisfaction repairing something and extending its useful life but recycling and saving it from landfill fosters a great sense of community engagement and achievement, and it’s fun nutting out the problem,” Mr Tucker said.

Surf Coast Shire councillor Mike Bodsworth was at the celebration to congratulate volunteers for the initiative he said supported the council’s recycling principles.

The Repair Café is open the first Sunday each month, except for January and June.