45 computers make a huge difference right across the country

One of the most wide-ranging matches A Good Thing has been part of in recent months was 45 computers, donated to a whole host of brilliant charities by the not-for-profit organisation Wiltshire Digital Drive.

We caught up with Natalie Sherman, a director at Wiltshire Digital Drive and the founder and director of Naturally Social, in order to find out a bit more.

Where it all began

Natalie founded the communications and marketing agency Naturally Social eight years ago, with the aim of “working with people trying to do good things in society”. The agency, a four-person team, is now delighted to be a B Corp, and works to “tell the stories of the world’s kindest companies”.

Three years ago, when the first lockdown came into effect, a careers advisor local to Natalie was looking for laptop donations for sixth-form students stuck at home and trying to apply to university. One of Naturally Social’s clients was Priority IT, an IT support company in the west of England, so Natalie mentioned this need to Kieran Thomas, the Managing Director of the firm. Kieran was delighted to be able to help, and had a secondhand laptop in a cupboard to donate.

The donation got Natalie and Kieran thinking: they were sure other people must have devices gathering dust in cupboards and drawers, too. Their joint ‘laptops for home-schoolers’ initiative was born, and things moved fast: they gathered 155 devices in the first few months of lockdown alone. The local media got behind the project, including the local BBC radio station, which Natalie tells us was brilliant from day one.

Continued demand

At the end of September 2020, the Priority IT team were coming back into the office, and the need for laptops had been revealed to be huge. It wasn’t just home-schoolers who were affected: the pandemic had really shone a light on how enormous the digital divide had become. Natalie explains:

“We suddenly realised how many people were in desperate need of access to technology: women fleeing domestic violence, and not being able to access phones. Elderly people, many of whom had become completely cut off due to covid. So many different use cases were suddenly apparent.”

Natalie and Kieran made the decision to set up a charitable organisation, and Wiltshire Digital Drive (a Community Interest Company, or CIC) was registered in October 2020 to try to fight digital poverty and reduce social isolation. Priority IT took on the job of making sure all donated machines were secure by wiping them, and the firm then stored them as well. In the first few months alone, 75 devices were distributed. The team devised a formal application system, to be sure everything was done properly.

‘Make a difference’

In January 2021, everyone was back in lockdown, and the local media were keen to partner – Wiltshire Digital Drive became part of the BBC’s ‘Make a difference’ campaign, and it was a gamechanger. The CIC immediately received 1,500 emails from people who wanted to donate computers. Natalie laughs: “it was a crazy time!”

Wiltshire Digital Drive was flying, and corporate supporters were suddenly queueing up to be part of it: Kingfisher (which owns B&Q), English Heritage, Dyson… The CIC was especially proud of being able to donate 400 machines to Ukrainian refugee families arriving in the UK.

Circular links

Natalie is passionate about the circular economy, and thrilled to have found A Good Thing: as she says, “Our devices can now get to where they need to get to.” Through using A Good Thing, Wiltshire Digital Drive is now working with organisations right across the UK – Natalie tells us “it’s such an easy conduit to passing stuff on”. The organisation primarily accepts laptops, but also desktop computers, phones and tablets occasionally.

Every year Wiltshire Digital Drive is fortunate enough to receive a few big corporate offers of support, as well as around 40 devices a week just from individuals who are keen to give back and get involved. The charity definitely does have to turn donations away sometimes: any PCs have to be able to run the latest version of Windows, and if not they are transformed into Chromebooks only.

Wiltshire Digital Drive doesn’t donate equipment directly to needy individuals, but rather to a whole range of different organisations including schools, colleges, local councils and social services.

We are so proud that nine different charities right across the UK have benefited from these donated computers via A Good Thing – from a charity that feeds 65 homeless and vulnerable people each weeknight, to a social initiative that distributes computers to asylum seekers and refugees right across the country.

If you’re a charity looking for similar items, don’t miss out: sign up now!

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