Community Computers

Our Manchester Victoria Northeastern Gateway team at Octavius Infrastructure is pleased to work in collaboration with Manchester City Council's Making Manchester Fairer Digital Inclusion Initiative. Many families in Manchester face digital exclusion, lacking access to essential devices like laptops and smartphones. This gap can limit children’s learning, restrict access to vital services, and create barriers to opportunities for parents and caregivers. To help tackle this challenge 🤜 💥 , we partnered with Community Computers, an organization dedicated to repurposing technology to combat digital exclusion and reduce electronic waste. As part of this initiative, we have donated 10 laptops 💻 and 10 smartphones 📱. Together, we’re ensuring that technology is accessible to those who need it most. A huge thank you to all involved! Chris Charnley, Christopher Northen #DigitalInclusion #CommunityImpact #TechForGood #Manchester #Collaboration

Chloe met Jennifer at Heaton Norris community centre in May last year. Jennifer said she needed support with getting a device for her son who has additional learning needs, we managed to support her with a gifted device from Community Computers. Chloe has been visiting Heaton Norris every month as part of our #digiknow work, and yesterday she bumped into Jennifer again. She expressed how much the device has helped her son "it has helped him with reading and he can now read books like Captain Underpants and Dog Man. He now absolutely loves reading and his confidence has grown so much" She was so grateful that this support was given and has really changed her son’s life. Well done Chloe and thanks to community computers for helping us to make this happen.

Great day at Digital Leaders #ImpactAwards yesterday where Trafford took home the award for Sustainability Pioneer for our #Tech4All programme, repurposing technology for our most disadvantaged communities. None of this incredible work would be possible without Chris Bennett and the team at Community Computers who work tirelessly to repurpose our tech donations, enabling us to tackle digital poverty in our borough at scale. Nor would we be anywhere without the generous donation of retired corporate IT equipment from our partners L&Q, Royal Mail, Bruntwood Auto Trader UK - Daniel Sutherland Goher Mohammad Paul Clark Steve Smith Our nomination detailed the holistic approach we’re taking through our Tech4All pop ups, providing both digital skills training and free connectivity alongside our subsidised and gifted equipment. Neither of which would deliver without the brilliant team at Xyrius Training Margaret Brewer FIEP Martin Evans Daniel Lucas and Virgin Media O2 - Jody Waugh Matt Murdoch Jade Baker Josephine Parmee A final massive thank you to my incredible leadership team at Trafford - your unwavering support, guidance and encouragement have made our success possible. You’ve been my biggest champions! Samantha Tilley Paul James Jane Lamb Sara Todd Tom Ross 🥰 Looking forward to gearing up a notch in 2025 - there’s still so much more to do! 💫😁

We're proud to partner with Community Computers and want to highlight the fantastic impact they're making.. To help bridge the digital divide, 764 devices (laptops, PCs, and mobile phones) have been provided to households, families, and individuals—either at a subsidised low cost or for free. 6,456 digital devices have been collected for recycling or reuse, weighing around 17.7 tonnes. So far, 2,062 devices have been refurbished and reused, preventing 804,699kg of carbon emissions. Seven volunteers and work placements have gained valuable work experience, IT skills, and training—helping them build brighter futures. As a charity partner, we're proud to have donated over 200 devices. We encourage other Greater Manchester businesses to get involved with this brilliant initiative ❤️💻

We are incredibly grateful to our business partners for providing us with these high-spec Surface Pro 7 laptops. After a thorough data cleanse and fresh installations of Windows 11 Pro and Office 2019, they are almost ready to be made available to the community through our website. A heartfelt thank you to everyone involved for your unwavering support. If you know someone who could benefit from affordable technology, please direct them to our website at https://lnkd.in/eRcd24Tt, where they can find the full list of eligibility criteria. Do you have unwanted tech? Consider donating it to benefit the community. As part of Renewal North West, a registered UK charity, we are dedicated to bridging the digital divide by putting laptops like these back into the community, either for free or at a subsidised price. We handle the collection, asset tracking, and data destruction, and our service includes free data destruction certificates. To learn more about our mission and services, visit https://lnkd.in/dRDj3JP.

Blessed to be nominated at the Innovation awards, in partnership with Trafford City Council. If you like what we do, we'd really appreciate a vote. You can cast your vote here for Trafford Council and Community Computers Tech4All. https://lnkd.in/eq7-JG-w

Thank you to everyone for your support in 2024 - here's a quick snapshot of the impact we made. Looking forward to achieving more in 2025 and bridging the digital divide!

As 2024 comes to a close, we find ourselves reflecting with gratitude on some of the incredible moments from the year. One such moment was a popup shop we held in Manchester at the wonderful Newton Heath Library. Thanks to our amazing partners, we were able to provide a mix of Microsoft Surface Pro 7s and HP EliteBooks—impressive 10th and 11th generation devices—offered to residents on low incomes for just £60. The outcome was truly humbling: over 50 residents benefited, with all 50 devices finding new homes in under an hour. The demand was so great that many were directed to our website for support once we ran out. This event was made possible by the dedication of 3 Council staff, 2 of our own team, and one shared table. It’s a testament to what can be achieved with teamwork and a shared purpose. Throughout the year, we’ve worked tirelessly to deliver high-quality devices capable of officially running Windows 11—devices that are future-proof and built to last for years to come. We’re deeply thankful for everyone who has supported our mission this year.

What an incredible day we had at Brinnington Life Leisure in October 2024, as part of the nationwide #Digitober celebrations! Teaming up with the amazing Helen Johnson and Renuka from Stockport Council , we brought our popup event to families in Brinnington—and what a success it was! In just two short hours, we distributed over 40 devices, helping families get connected and directing them to valuable training services and affordable broadband options through social tariffs. This was community engagement at its finest, showcasing the power of partnerships to reach every corner of our boroughs. Together, we're bridging the digital divide and making a real difference!

We’re thrilled to keep the 2024 celebrations going by highlighting some incredible community events we’ve hosted! 🎉 Across four fantastic sites—St Johns Community Centre, Lostock Community Library, Sale Library, and Altrincham Library—we proudly brought over 250 high-spec laptops equipped with Windows 11 and Office 2019 to residents on low incomes. These top-notch devices, complete with a 12-month warranty, were made available at an amazing subsidized price of just £60! 💻✨ This initiative created a life-changing opportunity for individuals struggling to access affordable technology, giving them a reliable device to empower their futures for many years to come. A huge thanks to L&Q and Trafford Council for making this possible! 🎊 #Tech4All #Trafford Alexandria Morgan Here’s to bridging the digital divide and making 2024 a year to remember! 🙌