Reconome and Good Things Foundation to donate 85,000 used devices over three years

IT asset disposal company Reconome and the Good Things Foundation have formed an alliance to distribute 85,000 laptops, tablets and mobile devices to ‘digitally escluded’ people over the next three years.

Devices will be distributed through the Good Things Foundation’s National Device Bank which provides refurbished laptops, mobile phones and tablets through the National Digital Inclusion Network set up in 2011 to tackle the digital divide at a local level

Reconome will be the charity’s exclusive technology partner and provide a long-term supply of refurbished devices.

The partnership builds on a pilot programme launched three years ago and is intended to move away from one-off device donations towards a sustained reuse model.

Around 7.9 million people in the UK lack basic digital skills,while 1.6 million adults do not have access to a smartphone, tablet or laptop according to Good Things Foundation’s Digital Nation 2025 data, Lack of access to devices is cited as a barrier to education, employment, healthcare and public services.

Reconome sources used IT equipment from corporate partners, which is then refurbished and redistributed through the National Device Bank to community organisations supporting people who are digitally excluded.

The Good Things Foundation has expanded its network of National Digital Inclusion Hubs to 667 locations since April 2022,  During this time it has distributed 28,992 devices, with a further 33,112 people benefiting from shared access within households or communities.

Nick Rawkins, co-founder and chief executive of Reconome, said the agreement would enable refurbished technology to be distributed at greater scale while reducing electronic waste.

Helen Milner OBE, chief executive of the Good Things Foundation, said the partnership would provide a more consistent supply of devices to support people who lack access to digital technology.

The initiative aligns with the UK Government’s Digital Inclusion Action Plan, which identifies access to devices as a key requirement for participation in an increasingly digital economy.

The organisations said the partnership would continue to support national efforts to reduce digital exclusion over the next three years.