Digital Inclusion Scheme
Are you a charity or school that needs IT equipment?
Digital Inclusion Scheme
The Digital Inclusion Scheme donates free computers and laptops to schools, charities and marginalised communities. The unwanted computers and IT equipment are collected from Bristol businesses and recycling centres.
We have donated over 2,400 computers since the project started. If your organisation needs free computers and IT equipment, we may be able to help if you call: 0117 440 6681.
The scheme is backed by the Bristol City Council as part of the One City approach.
How does the scheme work?
Collection of IT equipment
You can donate to the Digital Inclusion Scheme by taking your old tech to Bristol’s reuse and recycling centres.
Businesses can apply for free collection of unwanted computers and IT equipment.
Test, delete data and check specifications
We carefully check and remove all data from the computers.
All desktop computers distributed in the Digital Inclusion Scheme come with Windows 10. The minimum specification will be an i3 Processor, 4GB RAM, 250GB HDD and WiFi enabled.
Deliver the free computers
After you have applied and been accepted for the Digital Inclusion Scheme, we will deliver the computers to the charity or school’s Bristol address.
Provide IT support
Once you have received your computers we want to make sure they are working correctly.
We will provide 3 months support, and 12 months warranty.
The charities and schools that's received computers
We continue to give laptops and computers to charities, organisations and schools across Bristol. All the IT donations are going to support digital inclusion. Since the project started, we have donated over 2,400 laptops and desktop computers. We have also started donating mobile phones to charities.
When we asked Mat Grafton, Head of year 11 at Orchard School, how he was going to use the school’s newly donated desktop computers, Mat explained;
The 10 PCs donated from Bristol Waste’s Digital Inclusion Scheme will replace old equipment that is nearly 20 years old. The replacements will allow the Year 11 students to complete homework and project work through the day and after school hours.
A lot of the students do not have computers at home so this will be a great addition to the Year 11 Block.
Mat Grafton, Head of year 11 at Orchard School
Mat Grafton, Head of year 11 at Orchard School
Tim Jones, Stockwood scouts
Stuart Phelps, Baggator
Greg Bath, St Joseph's Catholic School
Rebecca Sheehy, Bristol After Stroke
Jachie Eddy, Hartcliffe Club for Young People
Lauren Oram, Henleaze Infant School
Shane Raines, Brenty and Henbury Childrens Centre
Bethan Howe, One25
Ian Fielder and Paul Jayson, Lawrence Weston Community Farm
Computers for refugees
We are supporting Bristol City Council with a scheme to provide access to computers for refugees. Fifty computers will be placed in sixteen ‘welcome hubs’ across Bristol for refugees to speak with their families, look for new opportunities and access educational materials.
Laptop donations
In 2020, we began work with Bristol City Council to deliver old laptops to homes where they will have the biggest positive impact.
Residents of Bristol who fall into any of the following eligibility categories can apply to access the scheme (one per household):
- being of pensionable age
- have a disability
- are full time carers
- receive means tested benefits
- have a child at school receiving free school meals
- are on a very low income
Apply for reused desktop computers
Complete the form to apply for reused desktop computers for your charity. We will contact you if you are eligible.
FAQs – Digital Inclusion Scheme
Digital poverty is the limited access to the internet or a digital device. This can create difficulties in accessing education, employment opportunities and even friends or family. By pledging 20% of the working desktop computers that we collect to charity and schools we hope to improve digital inclusion across Bristol.
Please visit your local Household Reuse and Recycling Centre to donate any electrical items to the digital inclusion scheme. If your electrical items are not in working order, please deposit them in the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) container at the recycling centre.
You can donate:
- working computers
- laptops
- working desktop computers
- mobile phones
- tablets
- cameras, video cameras
- keyboards
- mice
- monitors
- webcams
We can also use parts from broken computers to make other computers work. Furthermore, we can remove parts like the CPU etc., which can then be sold on eBay, and the money will be donated to charity or enable us to continue our reuse work. Bits that cannot be used will be recycled.
Laptops that are less than six years old will go to people without digital devices, internet access, or basic IT skills. They can face significant barriers:
- to education
- to training and employment
- in accessing services
- in staying connected with friends and family
We donate desktop computers to local charities, schools and refugees.
Complete this form and we will be in touch: Digital Inclusion Scheme – Bristol Waste Company
If you are a business or an organisation with lots of equipment, we might be able to pick up the equipment from you for free! Please email: it.reuse@bristolwastecompany.co.uk or call: 0117 440 6681
If you are a Bristol resident you can simply bring your computer to the recycling centre or Reuse Shop, and we will do the rest.
Thanks to our equipment donors
