The University of Liverpool, alongside Good Things Foundation and Material Focus, is proud to announce the launch of Tech Rescue, a three-year project designed to build a scalable and sustainable, community-led infrastructure for tech reuse across the UK.
Thanks to National Lottery players, Tech Rescue has received £1,497,312 from the Climate Action Fund, a long-term commitment from The National Lottery Community Fund to support communities across the UK to act on climate change and involve more people in positive environmental action.
The programme aims to gift 8,500 devices directly to households, helping to fix the digital divide through long term, sustainable action.
To build local capacity for device reuse across the UK, we are collaborating with 12 regional ‘Tech Rescue Hubs’. ScreenShare, Born Good, and Recognition Circular are also serving as dedicated ‘co-design hubs’ to ensure the campaign is shaped by the communities it serves. They are joined by: Tech Skills for Life, PCrefurb, RecycleIT, Refurbit, Repair & Share Foyle, Turing Trust, Tech-Takeback Foundation, Donate IT and a soon to be announced partner in Wales. Together, we are driving cross-sector action to bake device reuse into digital inclusion initiatives.
Natasha Early, Senior Programme Manager (Tech Rescue), Good Things Foundation said:
“Tech Rescue isn’t just another campaign; it’s about building a sustainable, community-led infrastructure that ensures device reuse is baked into regional digital inclusion initiatives, not bolted on. Through our collaboration with the 12 exemplar Tech Rescue Hubs, we will create clear, local, and impactful roadmaps for everyone – individuals and organisations—to turn their disused technology into a lifeline for those experiencing digital exclusion.”
Dr Jeanette D’Arcy, Senior Research Associate, University of Liverpool, said:
“Our role is to listen and learn throughout the project to ensure we fully understand how to make the biggest difference. By keeping technology in use for longer and fixing the digital divide, we are proving that we can reduce waste and support social equality through proven, practical solutions.”
Vanessa Gibbin, Director of Marketing, Communications and Behaviour change, Material Focus said:
“Millions of usable devices sit hidden in drawers across the UK while people are being left behind in an increasingly digital world. Tech Rescue brings together Material Focus’s behaviour change expertise through the Recycle Your Electricals campaign, Good Things Foundation’s community network and digital inclusion leadership, and the University of Liverpool’s research capabilities to change that. Together, we are building a localised, sustainable model that turns unwanted tech into a lifeline for people who need it most.”