Somerset charity Donate IT are back at Frome Town Hall on Saturday 31 January from 10am to 1pm for a tech amnesty, collecting devices for reuse or recycling. Anyone with unwanted digital devices such as smartphones, laptops, consoles or desktop computers can drop them off to be securely wiped of all data and either donated to someone in need or disposed of responsibly within the UK.
70% of global toxic waste is linked to discarded tech in landfill, and the precious metals inside devices, such as copper and cobalt, are much more intensive and difficult to mine than they are to recycle.
Simon Barfoot founded Donate IT in 2021, in partnership with Sarah Dyke, now the MP for Glastonbury and Somerton. Their inspiration was the impact of lockdown on people who didn’t have access to digital devices and were therefore at a higher risk of disadvantage and exclusion. Donate IT recently handed out their 2,000th device and now have 50 drop-off points across Somerset, including the town hall. Frome Town Council collects devices for Donate IT all year round, and hosts two tech amnesties each year.
Simon Barfoot said: “Did you receive a new laptop, tablet, smartphone or console for Christmas? So many old devices end up forgotten in drawers – yours doesn’t have to! We can refurbish your old device, wipe it of all your personal data and give it to someone who needs it. We work with the isolated, elderly, people in rehab, domestic violence charities, displaced people: anyone struggling to have a good quality of life because they can’t get connected. And if your device can’t be donated, it can still be useful; we’ll arrange for the precious metals inside to be recycled and used for new devices.”
Cllr Anne Hills said “The Donate IT team do such a brilliant job. In addition to the environmental benefit of reusing tech devices, we know that many people in our town feel excluded from participation with the digital world because of the cost. Getting a repurposed smartphone or tablet, plus training, free of charge, opens up opportunities for people who want to gain digital confidence, making appointments, finding work, researching the things that interest them, communicating with friends and family and much more.”
The Donate IT team will be in the car park at Frome Town Hall, off Park Road in Frome, from 10am to 1pm on Saturday 31 January. In the case of bad weather, the collection will move indoors and the route will be clearly signposted. Devices can also be dropped off to Frome Town Hall throughout the year. To find out more about Donate IT visit https://donateit.co.uk/
