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08 Apr 2026
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08 Apr 2026
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Photo: Mickail Nilov, Pexels.
Laois people are being urged "don't bin it, fix it" by bringing their beloved broken things to a pop up repair café.
A two-day Community Repair Café is taking place in The CUBE Low Carbon Centre of Excellence, Portlaoise on the last weekend in June, to champion circular living.
"A broken toaster, a torn jacket, a wobbly chair - what do they all have in common? They can be fixed, not binned," says Caroline Hofman, Director of The CUBE.
On Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, June 29, from 11am to 3pm each day, the Laois community is invited to come along with their broken or damaged household items to the business centre on Tower Hill.
There they will receive help from skilled volunteers from TOG Hackerspace, a Dublin group where people of all backgrounds come together to share knowledge, work on projects, and explore technology and creativity, with experience in various types of repair.
The public will be encouraged to sit with the repairers to learn more about how their items work, how they can be fixed, and how to prevent future issues.
You can bring small appliances (toasters, lamps, kettles), clothing and textiles (tears, broken zippers, hems), electronics (for PAT testing, basic diagnostics and advice), small furniture (wobbly legs, loose joints), toys, tools, and more.
Each person can bring no more than two items, cleaned and with any power leads if necessary.
The weekend will be a busy one in Portlaoise as it coincides with the Old Fort Quarter Festival, and Celtic Con in the Dunamaise Arts Centre.
it is hosted by Laois County Council in collaboration with Eastern-Midlands Waste Region with the support of the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment.
Read also: Laois information day for buyers of derelict and vacant properties
The free, community-powered event is aimed at promoting repair over waste, to empower people to extend the life of everyday items and get the chance to give their everyday items a new lease of life.
Admission is free, but anyone interested in attending is asked to book a time slot in advance through Eventbrite. For any queries, please telephone 057 866 4000. Anyone interested in sharing their own repair skills is invited to email info@tog.ie
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