We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve received £100k of funding from the Time after Time fund, a partnership with Virgin Media O2 and the environmental charity Hubbub. This is to support the operation of our three refurbishment hub teams in Oxford, Didcot and Bicester, refurbishing donated laptops, tablets and phones to pass on to people in need.
e-Waste to impact
This major grant provides two-thirds of the funds we need to operate all three hubs for the next year, and together with grants already secured by SOFEA, Aspire and Bicester Green, this secures our programme until next Spring, with a target to repair and refurbish more than 1500 devices in this time, on top of the more than 3000 we have already delivered since the project began in 2021. This is alongside the volunteer 1-2-1 support service Connect! provided by Citizen’s Advice.
To find out more about the difference these devices are making in helping people to transform their lives, check out our 2023 impact report.
Oxfordshire’s digital inclusion network
As well as providing devices, connectivity and support, we are building on this stability to launch a new digital inclusion network for the county, bringing together members from the more than 200 public sector bodies, community groups and charities who have supported people so far to get the most from the internet (including finding work, accessing services and healthcare, education and reducing isolation).
This network will bring the digital inclusion community closer together, to learn in a fast-changing world, share best practice and make sure everyone is aware what support is available to suit their clients. It will also be an important opportunity to hear directly from the community what support is needed and where there are gaps in digital provision.
We are always happy to hear from others further afield working in this space and are actively collaborating in the national Digital Poverty Alliance network and Local Authority Digital Inclusion Network.
In the news
We’ve been delighted by the interest in this funding, including these articles and interviews:
- ITV evening news including an interview with Mohammad, explaining what he achieved on his laptop to support his family
- BBC Radio Oxford, learning about the programme and how to get involved
- BBC news website article about the award.
- BBC South today including Mohammad and the SOFEA team
- BBC news website second article.
Keen to get involved?
Of course, this refurbishment funding is only going to deliver a result if we have a strong supply of laptops, tablets or phones. Check out the growing number of donation points here or get in touch with project manager, Ben, if you’d like to find out more about our secure data wiping process etc. Our local hubs would also be delighted to hear from you if you’d like to volunteer time or support in other ways.
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