New £400k round of Virgin Media O2 & Hubbub tech lending scheme to provide 100s more devices
Melanie May | 25 March 2024 | News
Virgin Media O2 and environmental charity Hubbub are providing hundreds more tablets and smartphones to help people get online across the UK with a new £400,000 round of their device lending scheme.
The Tech Lending Community scheme, established in 2022, aims to tackle digital exclusion and electronic waste by providing second-hand devices to people in need, while also giving tech a second life, preventing it ending up in landfill.
As part of a new round of funding, homelessness charities, Centrepoint and Thames Reach will receive more than 500 tablets and smartphones, which will be powered by free O2 mobile data from the National Databank – which was set up by Virgin Media O2 and Good Things Foundation.
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The charities will distribute the devices via their services across the country so they can be loaned to those they support to help them improve their digital skills and access essential online services such as applying for jobs, locating food banks, booking medical appointments, and contacting loved ones.
In addition, Refuge, a charity which supports women and children who have experienced domestic abuse, and received 250 tablets from the initiative in 2022, will continue to receive funding and support to run their device lending scheme.
Alex Robinson, CEO of Hubbub, said:
“The Tech Lending Community (TLC), in partnership with Virgin Media O2, has shown us the tangible impact a second-hand device coupled with free connectivity can have on someone’s life. Beneficiaries of the project have been able to access job support and stay in touch with friends, things that those of us who own smart devices can take for granted.
“Hubbub is thrilled to be launching a second phase of TLC, working alongside homelessness charities Thames Reach and Centrepoint, and Refuge, a charity supporting women and children experiencing domestic violence, to provide an additional 520 tablets and smartphones for them to lend to their service users. We are proud to continue doing work to bridge the digital divide in the UK, whilst keeping tech in circulation for longer.”
The project is supported by Reconome which has sourced, wiped, and refurbished the second-hand devices.
The initiative forms part of Virgin Media O2’s sustainability strategy, the Better Connections Plan, and is one of the ways the company will reach its goal to connect one million digitally excluded people through free and affordable connectivity and services by the end of 2025.
Since the launch of the Tech Lending Community scheme, more than 750 people have been loaned a tablet for up to six months at around 50 community centres, temporary accommodation, or refuge sites nationwide.
Dana Haidan, Chief Sustainability Officer at Virgin Media O2, said:
“We know that having data and devices can be a lifeline for people in need, enabling them to access essential websites, from applying for jobs, to accessing medical appointments, and to stay in touch with loved ones.
“That’s why initiatives like The Tech Lending Community scheme and National Databank are vital in addressing digital exclusion and data poverty, and help to transform people’s lives in communities across the UK.”
Peter Charalambides, Area Manager for Prevention at Thames Reach, said:
“I’m immensely proud of our dedicated team and grateful to Hubbub and Virgin Media O2 for their unwavering support in our mission to support people at risk of, recovering from, or currently experiencing homelessness.
“Through the Tech Lending Community scheme, we’ve enabled individuals to effectively manage their affairs and navigate vital systems, improving their well-being and facilitating a transition to more stable, long-term accommodation.”
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About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.