Virgin Media O2 and Hubbub have teamed up to provide £400,000 new funding for its tech lending scheme.

The Tech Lending Community scheme, established in 2022, aims to tackle digital exclusion and electronic waste by providing second-hand devices to people in need, while also giving tech a second life, preventing it ending up in landfill.

As part of a new round of funding, homelessness charities, Centrepoint and Thames Reach will receive more than 500 tablets and smartphones, which will be powered by free O2 mobile data from the National Databank.

The charities will distribute the devices via their services across the country so they can be loaned to those they support to help them improve their digital skills and access essential online services such as applying for jobs, locating food banks, booking medical appointments, and contacting loved ones.

Hubbub CEO, Alex Robinson, said: “The Tech Lending Community (TLC), in partnership with Virgin Media O2, has shown us the tangible impact a second-hand device coupled with free connectivity can have on someone's life. Beneficiaries of the project have been able to access job support and stay in touch with friends, things that those of us who own smart devices can take for granted.

“Hubbub is thrilled to be launching a second phase of TLC, working alongside homelessness charities Thames Reach and Centrepoint, and Refuge, a charity supporting women and children experiencing domestic violence, to provide an additional 520 tablets and smartphones for them to lend to their service users. We are proud to continue doing work to bridge the digital divide in the UK, whilst keeping tech in circulation for longer.”

In addition, Refuge, which recieved 250 tablets from the initiative in 2022, will continue to receive funding and support to run their device lending scheme.

The project is supported by Reconome which has sourced, wiped, and refurbished the second-hand devices.

Virgin Media O2 chief sustainability officer, Dana Haidan, added: “We know that having data and devices can be a lifeline for people in need, enabling them to access essential websites, from applying for jobs, to accessing medical appointments, and to stay in touch with loved ones.

“That’s why initiatives like The Tech Lending Community scheme and National Databank are vital in addressing digital exclusion and data poverty, and help to transform people’s lives in communities across the UK.”

---