Member Article

Verastar donates old tech for good on #GivingTuesday

Staff from Sale and Manchester-based small business services provider Verastar have donated old tech for good as part of the global #GivingTuesday campaign and supported two local community causes.

#GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the last decade, this idea has grown into a global movement that inspires millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

The firm donated mobile phones to Community Computers who recycle or upgrade old tech and provide refurbished equipment to the local community at a reduced cost. An additional donation was made to Rossendale Hospice who recycle the old mobiles for funds towards their work with patients with life-limiting conditions and their families.

Thomas Nolan, part of Verastar’s Giving Back Team, comments: “#GivingTuesday comes directly after the flurry of consumer spending on Black Friday and Cyber Monday and provides us with an opportunity to give back to those communities in which we live and work and these two local causes really stood out for us.”

The Rossendale Hospice aim to improve the quality of life for people in Rossendale who have a life-limiting illness. Melanie Jenkins from the Trust comments: “It’s great to receive support from local firms like Verastar at this ‘giving’ time of year which can be incredibly poignant for the families we support. Our charity has to raise 75% of our yearly £1,000,000 running costs ourselves so every donation really does count.”

Verastar was introduced to the Community Computers charity through their partnership with the “Digital Inclusion Team” at Manchester City Council. Every donation is either recycled or upgraded and they provide employment, work skills and training to long-term unemployed individuals - enabling the charity to tackle digital exclusion and provide low-cost equipment back into the community.

Chris Bennett from Community Computers comments: “Donations from firms like Verastar help to keep tech out of landfill and keep people in employment through digital learning. Funds generated from the initiative go directly back into our work to fund the running of operations and break down the barriers that keep people from working.”

Amie Nutt who leads Verastar’s Giving Back Team adds: “As well as donating tech to raise funds we’re also focussed on volunteering in the local community this month, helping out at the Trussell Trust Food Bank - a cause that colleagues across the Verastar Group have supported throughout the year .”

Delivering essential business services to over 160,000 UK SMEs, Verastar employs around 900 staff at its Manchester based offices.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sara Mak .