The Network continues to take donations of IT equipment and referrals for FREE recycled IT equipment and wifi for people and families you work with in your community in North West Glasgow.
We have IT packages ready to give out and are accepting new referrals. Each PC package contains a PC tower, monitor, mouse, keyboard, web cam and a ‘How to’ guide.
All our refurbished IT equipment is PAT tested for electrical safety. Funding allowing, we try to include free internet with our packages.
Have a question about the package? You can call or email Martina on 0141 952 7090
martina.northwestglasgowvsn@outlook.com
For a PC referral use this PC referral form.
Updated 24th May 2023
1000th Refurbished Device
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The Network continues to take donations of IT equipment and referrals for FREE recycled IT equipment and wifi for people and families you work with in your community in North West Glasgow.
We have full Recycled IT packages ready to give out and are accepting new referrals. Each PC package contains a PC tower, monitor, mouse, keyboard, web cam and a ‘How to’ guide. All our refurbished IT equipment is PAT tested for electrical safety. Funding allowing, we try to include free internet with our packages.
Have a question about the package? You can call or email Martina on 0141 952 7090
martina.northwestglasgowvsn@outlook.com
For a PC referral use this PC referral form.
Read on to find out how our project began…….
…..HOW THE IT RECYCLING PROJECT STARTED…..
Early on in the COVID-19 Pandemic, members came to the Network to let us know that people they were working with didn’t have access to a computer, tablet or laptop. Or if they did, they didn’t have or had very limited internet access at home. (Before the pandemic people had used PCs/WiFi in libraries, community centres, school & college.) People needed internet more than ever during the pandemic; to keep in touch with family & friends, get support, keep in contact with the job centre, do school work, watch films and play games.
The Network thought that there would be computers out there that people didn’t want anymore, that could be donated, recycled and given to other people. We were lucky that people supported our idea, members, family, friends, a local college, the National Lottery Communities Fund, Glasgow City Council and so many others helped us to get the project up and running. And so the Network IT Recycling Project was born!…..
THE PROCESS: All donated IT equipment is checked, cleaned and we fully wipe any data. We then add new software and check it works. Each PC package contains a PC tower, monitor, mouse, key board, web cam, ‘How to’ guide and a Mifi box, that will allow the PC to connect to the internet. Each Mifi box gives at least 6 months internet access. All our refurbished IT equipment is PAT tested for electrical safety. The IT package is thenit to passed on to our referrers to distribute those that the need the equipment.
We have now given away 400 IT packages and prevented them going to landfill.
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updated 23/8/22
The Network continues to take donations of IT equipment and referrals for FREE recycled IT equipment and wifi for people and families you work with in your community in North West Glasgow.
MiFi Boxes – We are coming to the end of our stock of one year’s unlimited data MIFI boxes, please send referrals in as soon as possible to secure these for people you work with. Next month we will be returning to our 6 month 30GBs of monthly data. Please use this MiFi referral form and email it to martina.northwestglasgowvsn@outlook.com
All donated IT equipment is checked, cleaned and we fully wipe any data. We then add new software, check it works and provide a ‘How to set up your PC’ guide and 6 months free data/wifi for it to passed on to our referrers to distribute.
Many thanks to those who continue to donate equipment, to those making referrals and those who publicise the project for us. We are always looking for more donations of laptops and PCs so to donate, refer or find out more please email hello.northwestglasgowvsn@outlook.com
If you want to make a referral, please fill out the Referral Form
How the IT Recycling Project started…..
Early on in the COVID-19 Pandemic, members came to the Network to let us know that people they were working with didn’t have access to a computer, tablet or laptop or if they did they didn’t have or had very limited internet access at home. (Before the pandemic people had used PCs/WiFi in libraries, community centres, school & college.) People needed internet more than ever during the pandemic; to keep in touch with family & friends, get support, keep in contact with the job centre, do school work, watch films and play games.
The Network thought that there would be computers out there that people didn’t want anymore, that could be donated, recycled and given to other people. We were lucky that people supported our idea, members, family, friends, a local college, the National Lottery Communities Fund, Glasgow City Council and so many others helped us to get the project up and running. And so the Network IT Recycling Project was born!…… We have now given away over 300 IT packages and prevented them going to landfill.
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21/10/21
We continue to take referrals for FREE recycled IT equipment and wifi for people and families you work with in your community. Our Packages come with a ‘How to’ guide and 6 months free data.
Many thanks to those who continue to donate equipment, to those making referrals and those who publicise the project for us. To donate, refer or find out more:
Please email hello.northwestglasgowvsn@outlook.com
If you want to make a referral, please fill out the Referral Form
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****UPDATE 29th July 2021*****
We have taken the decision to PAUSE the IT Recycling Project for a short while to take some time to reflect on the future direction of the project.
Thank you to all who donated IT equipment, our wonderful referrer organisations and of course to all who are in receipt of our recycled IT and are now enjoying surfing the net, learning and being in contact with friends and family across the world.
thanks and see you soon
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update 6/7/21
We continue to take referrals for recycled IT equipment. We’ve now handed out 250 PC and IT packages to organisations for people in your community. Our Packages come with a ‘How to’ guide and 6 months free data.
Thanks to those who continue to donate equipment, to those making referrals and those who publicise the project for us. To donate, refer or find out more:
Please email hello.northwestglasgowvsn@outlook.com
If you want to make a referral, please fill out the Referral Form.
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UPDATE: WE ARE OPEN FOR REFERRALS
We are still working away recycling PCs, making up PC packages of our own PCs and distributing the PCs given to us by Remade, as part of the wider Glasgow City Council/GCVS Digital inclusion project.
We have also been given some MiFi boxes as part of this project. Our plan is to distribute the 6 months Wifi we have as part of our funding and then distribute the GCC WiFi once our 6 months data runs out.
This will allow us to offer 18 months of data to most of the people who have a PC or are going to get one from us in the future.
We currently have a waiting list and operate a first come, first served basis, but do recognise there may be people in greater immediate need than others and will try and accommodate that. If you want to discuss a referral please call 0141 952 7090.
Thanks to those who continue to donate equipment, to those making referrals and those who publicise the project for us. To donate, refer or find out more:
please email martina.northwestglasgowvsn@outlook.com
If you want to make a referral, please fill out the Referral Form.
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***UPDATE 10th March 2020***
We have just taken delivery of 50 PCs from the Remade Network, as part of the wider GCVS/Glasgow City Council Digital inclusion Project.
This will allow the Network to give members a group of PCs, (up to 10 at one time). We will still be taking referrals for individual PCs for those who don’t need a bulk donation, as well as accepting donations of all PCs and laptops you might not need anymore.
We will also still be offering 30GB of data for 6 months, as well as the usual ‘How to Guide’ and a Helpline to help with set up of your new PC.
If you want to make a referral, please fill out the Referral Form. To find out more or if you want a bulk donation please give Martina a call to chat over what you need. Please email
martina.northwestglasgowvsn@outlook.com or call 0141 952 7090
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Updated end Jan 2021
Since our last update the Network has managed to recycle and distribute a total of 135 PCs, laptops & tablets, most as a package with 6 months free internet access. It has been a busy time and as an example, prior to Christmas, we gave away 9 PCs in 1 day – it got us thinking – how many more people need equipment & internet access and don’t yet have it?
We have had some really nice feedback from members who have referred people. In one case, a man who had been looking for work used his new PC to apply for a job and got it! A family in Drumchapel with 4 school age boys that were given 2 PCs and internet access are now engaging in all their online learning. And some learners with additional support needs are now engaging in their online activities from their local project with recycled IT equipment from us.
The news of the vaccine is really positive and we do hope to go back to a time when we can meet, work and socialise face to face, however until then most of our lives will be lived on the digital world. Lack of access to equipment, can push people further into poverty; be a barrier to learning; make it more difficult to apply for jobs; to manage benefits; to engage in support and services, when many have moved online; to keep in contact with family and friends and to find the best deals when shopping. This means, that now more than ever equipment & reliable WIFI needs to be seen as right and not an optional extra.
If any members, organisations, workplaces or educational establishments read this and want to help, please consider donating your old IT equipment. The PCs can easily we securely wiped and the PC/laptop be recycled and be of use to someone who needs it. This also makes sense for the environment as many pieces of equipment end up in landfill.
If you want to find out more about the project, to donate or refer contact martina.northwestglasgowvsn@outlook.com
Martina
Martina Johnston Gray, Network Manager