Laptops for Charity
Donate your old laptop(s) to your local community.
If you have a laptop sat around, unused and unloved, send it our way and we’ll refurbish it for local charities, schools, or those in the community in need.
Looking to donate an old laptop?
Take a look at the information on our dropdowns below:
Business Device Donation
We accept donations of laptops from businesses across Norfolk – whether you are a client of ours or not.
Security is of key importance to us. We ask that you ensure any previous data is backed up from the device, and that you factory reset it before donating it to us. However, once we have it, we will wipe it clean and replace the hard drive to ensure there is no risk to your data.
We are actively looking to form partnerships with local businesses to make sure we can provide laptops to those in need, when they are needed. This isn’t a formal agreement, just a way of saying when you have a laptop you no longer need, it will head our way!
We don’t work with select charities, schools or groups for donations as we would like to help as much of the community as possible. However, if there is a particular place you would like your device to go, for example a charity of the year or a group you support, we are happy to work with you on this.
Our requirements for laptop donations are:
- Ideally less than five years old
- Still in reasonable working condition – screen working, no keys missing, battery working etc., normal wear and tear is fine
- Able to run Windows 11
In some cases, we may also accept donations of other IT equipment in good condition.
Personal Device Donation
We are more than happy to accept donations of personal devices.
Our requirements for laptop donations are:
- Ideally less than five years old
- Still in reasonable working condition – screen working, no keys missing, battery working etc., normal wear and tear is fine
- Able to run Windows 11
Before donating a device, we ask that you ensure all data has been removed and the device factory reset. However, once we have it, we will wipe it clean and replace the hard drive to ensure there is no risk to your data.
How It Works
If you would like to donate a laptop, our requirements for the device are as follows:
- Ideally less than five years old
- Still in reasonable working condition – screen working, no keys missing, battery working etc., normal wear and tear is fine
- Able to run Windows 11
Please get in touch with us with the above information before dropping off your device(s). Preferably, you will need to be able to drop the device(s) at our office at Broadland Business Park.
Once we have the device, we will replace the hard drive and complete any repairs or upgrades we feel necessary. The device will then be cleaned, and we will either alert our existing database of those in need, callout on social media or keep it in storage for future requests.
Breakwater IT will cover any costs related to time and equipment in refurbishing devices.
We don’t work with select charities or schools for donations as we like to help as much of the community as possible. We have previously donated devices to Voluntary Norfolk, Eating Matters, The Shoebox Enterprises, Benjamin Foundation, Tech Educators, as well as local schools and individuals, such as adult education students and patients in local care facilities.
Do You Need a Laptop?
If you are a charity, community group, school, or someone in Norfolk in need of a device, please do get in touch with us.
If we have devices ready, we can arrange collection as soon as possible. Or we can add you to our database for any future donations.
Message Us
How did this start?
In 2020, as schools moved to remote learning, it quickly became clear that many students in Norfolk were in need of laptops to be able to access education.
One of our incredible clients, The Forum, approached us as they were about the buy new devices for their team. They offered to donate their old laptops to us, so that we could get them to students in need.
We took the devices, refurbished and cleaned them, and our first donation was made to a local school.
However, we became aware that it wasn’t just students who needed a device. Charities, community groups, and individuals in Norfolk also needed the support of devices. And ever since we have continued to take donations of laptops, refurbish them, and give them back to our local community for free.
