Category: Repair

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Jeffrey Roe Named Reuse & Repair Champion at the Full Circle Awards 2025

We’re thrilled to share some amazing news from the repair community: our very own Jeffrey Roe has been awarded the title of Reuse & Repair Champion at the Full Circle Awards 2025 by Circular.ie.

The awards ceremony took place at the launch of Circular.ie in Lansdowne Road, and the judges had high praise for Jeffrey:

“Jeffrey has been the driving force behind Repair Cafés in Ireland and is a well-recognised champion and leader in the field. His community-driven, hands-on approach empowers people with valuable repair skills and fosters collaborative, social spaces for learning. Jeffrey stands out for his technical innovation and leadership in embedding repair culture within communities.”

This recognition highlights not just Jeffrey’s personal commitment, but also the incredible collective effort of everyone involved in running Repair Cafés at Tog Hackerspace and across Ireland. Every event is powered by volunteer fixers who bring their skills, patience, and community spirit to the table.

Over the years, Jeffrey has helped build and lead the Repair Café movement here at home while also sharing and exchanging knowledge abroad with Buinho in Portugal and FabLab Cuenca in Spain, among others. These international trips show that repair is always a two-way exchange: while Jeffrey brings experience and tools, he also returns with new ideas and approaches to share locally.

And the repair journey doesn’t stop here! Upcoming Repair Cafés:

  • 🔧 Tullamore – 11 October 2025
  • 🔧 Tog Hackerspace (Dublin) – 17 October 2025

Read more about Jeffrey’s award on the Circular.ie site:
👉 Reuse & Repair Champion – Jeffrey Roe

Congratulations Jeffrey, and a massive thank you to all our fixers and visitors who make Repair Cafés possible. Here’s to keeping repair culture growing!

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Tullamore Repair Café

We’re excited to be bringing our Repair Café to a brand-new town — Tullamore! Join us for a morning of fixing, learning, and community spirit.

📍 Where: Tullamore Library, O’Connor Square, Tullamore, Offaly, R35 X226

📅 When: Saturday, 11th October 2025

⏰ Time: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

This special Repair Café is only possible thanks to the support of The Climate Action Team, The Community and Culture Department and the Just Transition Team of Offaly County Council.

What can you bring?

We’ll be ready to tackle repairs on a wide range of household items, including:

  • Clothes and accessories
  • Toys
  • Small electrical appliances and electronics
  • Small furniture
  • …and more!

Each repair is limited to half an hour. Bring up to a maximum of three items. We will see what we can repair in your time slot. Ticket holders will be given priority.

We’ll even have PAT (Portable Appliance Testing) available to ensure repaired electrical devices are safe to use.

Whether it’s a toaster that won’t pop, a lamp that’s gone dark, or a favourite toy in need of TLC—don’t bin it! Our volunteers will work with you to diagnose and repair your items, all while sharing tips and advice to help you learn new skills.

While you’re waiting, soak in the warm and welcoming atmosphere of Tullamore Library.

Event Details

🛠️ When: Saturday, 11th October 2025⏰ Time: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

📍 Where: Tullamore Library, O’Connor Square, Tullamore, Offaly, R35 X226🎟️

Admission: Free, but booking in advance via Eventbrite is essential.

https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/tullamore-repair-cafe-tickets-1659180967939?aff=oddtdtcreator

This special Repair Café is only possible thanks to the support of The Climate Action Team, The Community and Culture Department and the Just Transition Team of Offaly County Council.

Together, let’s keep things out of the landfill and build a culture of repair in Tullamore!

See you there!

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Jeffrey Shortlisted for Full Circle Awards 2025

We’re delighted to share some exciting news from the Tog community – our very own Jeffrey Roe has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Repair & Reuse Hero category of the Full Circle Awards 2025! 🎉

The Full Circle Awards celebrate people and projects across Ireland making a real difference in circular living. Jeffrey’s nomination recognises his huge contribution to growing the Repair Café movement here in Ireland, from rolling up his sleeves to fix household items and carry out safety testing, to running hands-on workshops teaching skills like soldering, multimeter use, and wiring plugs.

He’s in great company on the shortlist, alongside other inspiring repair champions including Michelle Power (Wren & Mabel), Luzimar Pereira (Grupo Mulheres do Brasil, Ireland), Noeleen Christie (Serenity Works), Poonam Padmani (Poona Seamstress), and Shannen Healy (GreenGal).

The winners will be announced at the EPA Conference in Dublin on 24th September, and we’ll be cheering him on!

Congrats Jeffrey – and thank you for continuing to inspire us all to repair, reuse, and keep things in circulation. 💚

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Tog at the EPA Circular Economy Conference 2025

We’re packing up our tools (and a few stories) for the EPA Circular Economy Conference 2025 on Wednesday, 24 September, in the Aviva Stadium.

You’ll find us in the exhibition area, flying the flag for Repair Cafés and the workshops we run at Tog. We’ll be chatting about how fixing the things you already own is good for your pocket, good for the planet, and good craic altogether.

And since we’re on the topic, we’ve got not one but two Repair Cafés coming up this October. Keep an eye on the details here: tog.ie/repair

So if you’re at the Aviva, swing by our stand for a natter. We’d love to see you there.

👉 More about the event: epacirculareconomyconf.ie

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Rethink Your Stuff Carnival in Kilkenny

Last week, we packed up our toolboxes and headed down to Kilkenny for the Rethink Your Stuff Carnival. The event was all about celebrating repair, reuse and creative sustainability – and we were delighted to be part of it with our own Repair Table.

It was a fun afternoon full of chats with visitors (many stopping by on their lunch break) and plenty of fixes. Among the items we brought back to life were:

  • Fuses in extension leads (by the way, we’ve an upcoming plug wiring workshop – [link here])
  • A pull-up banner
  • Award trophies in need of some TLC
  • Even scissors
  • …and more!

One of the best parts of the day was sharing the space with so many other brilliant groups and makers. Big shout-out to VOICE Ireland, Ruth’s Design Studio, the Bunting Fairy, and all the other fantastic people who made the carnival such a vibrant, creative event.

Check out our gallery for even more photos. Huge thanks to the organisers for inviting us down – we had a blast and can’t wait for the next one.

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🔌 Learn to Wire a Plug – New Workshop at Tog!

We’re excited to launch a new hands-on workshop at Tog Hackerspace where you’ll learn a practical and empowering skill—how to wire a plug and build your own extension lead. The session takes place on Thursday, September 25th, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at our space in Unit 1B Motor City, Kylemore Road, Dublin 12, D12 CF6V.

🛠️ What’s It All About?

Ever wanted to fix a broken plug, wire up your own extension lead, or just feel more confident around household electrics? This workshop is for you. We’ll guide you through the entire process of safely wiring a 13A plug and connecting it to a 4-gang extension lead. No prior experience needed.

Each participant will:

  • Wire up their own 3-core cable into a standard plug
  • Connect that cable to a 4-way socket block
  • Learn about fuses, cable strain relief, and wiring safety
  • Get their work PAT tested so it’s ready and safe to use at home
  • Take home a functional, tested extension lead they built themselves!

All tools and materials will be provided.

🧷 Note: This workshop involves the wiring of a portable extension lead by individuals for personal use. It does not fall under Restricted Electrical Works as defined by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities and Safe Electric. You can read more about Controlled and Restricted Works here: Safe Electric Guidance

💶 Booking Info

Tickets cost €25 and include all materials, tools, and a small donation to support Tog Hackerspace.
🔗 Book your ticket now on Eventbrite → https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/learn-to-wire-a-plug-tickets-1619013024539?aff=oddtdtcreator

Places are limited to keep things hands-on and safe, so grab your spot early!

🌍 Why This Matters

This workshop is part of European Sustainable Development Week 2025, an initiative that highlights practical actions contributing to a more sustainable world. We’re proud to align our event with the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:

  • SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production: Encouraging repair and reuse over landfill.
  • SDG 4 – Quality Education: Providing lifelong learning opportunities through hands-on workshops.
  • SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities: Building community resilience through practical skills.
  • SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy: Raising awareness of safe and responsible energy use at home.

Learning how to wire a plug might seem small, but it’s part of a bigger movement toward repair culture and sustainable living. Plus, it’s surprisingly satisfying!

This workshop is led by our own Jeffrey Roe, a long-time Tog member, maker, and electronics educator. Jeffrey has been teaching hands-on skills for over a decade through hackathons, Repair Cafés, and community events. You can follow his making adventures over on Mastodon

📍 Workshop Details Recap

🗓️ Date: Thursday, 25th September 2025
🕖 Time: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
📍 Location: Tog Hackerspace, Unit 1B Motor City, Kylemore Road, Dublin 12, D12 CF6V
💶 Cost: €25 (includes all materials + donation to Tog)
🎟️ Tickets: Eventbrite link (insert your link)
👥 *No experience necessary – beginners welcome!

We’re looking forward to seeing you there and sharing this very useful, very fix-it-yourself skill. If you have any questions, feel free to drop us a message.

Let’s keep things wired—and out of landfill!