1000th Computer donated to Age Concern

Local organisation PHS Maxitech, the electronic equipment recycling and refurbishment specialist, is teaming up with partners, Age Concern London, to celebrate the donation of its 1000^th free computer to older people in London.

The event that was held in North London on 6th August helped raise awareness of the scheme and encourage local businesses to donate their unwanted computer equipment to PHS Maxitech, allowing further Age Concern recipients to benefit from the recycling process.

The aim of the scheme as a whole is to help elderly people gain valuable IT skills which can help to make day-to-day processes easier. From simple email correspondence with family and friends to online shopping, the donation scheme allows older people to develop their knowledge and retain their independence.

Richard McWatt, 82, will be the 1000th recipient under the scheme. He said: "I saw a friend using Google. They showed me Google maps and I could see my house! She was also doing online shopping - that's what got me interested in getting a computer - I thought I could do that! I'm interested in railways, photography and music so using the internet would help me find information about these. I might even look into my family tree. I'm an absolute beginner but once I get the hang of it, I might even consider joining forums and chatting online to people with similar interests to me. I'm looking forward to learning about it and the possibilities it may bring."

Clare Tucker and Katherine Stoner from Sainsbury's, who are very much involved in community projects attended the event and were pleased that so many people are benefiting from the scheme.

PHS Maxitech's core business function centres on the collection of unwanted, redundant computers from businesses and organisations to refurbish them to a working standard. This provides an ethical and environmental solution to the growing problem of waste electrical goods and enables organisations to comply with the requirements of the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Directive.  

Thuraisha Naidoo, Key Account Manager at PHS Maxitech commented, "PHS Maxitech has been involved in the computer donation scheme since 2006 and Age Concern has been one of the biggest beneficiaries. Together we have helped many older people living in London who would otherwise not have access to computers. As a result of our partnering approach, 74% of recipients to date have said their IT knowledge has been greatly increased - testament to the success of the scheme itself, which is aimed at reducing social isolation."

Contact us on 0870 199 5010, email: info@maxitech.co.uk or visit: www.maxitech.co.uk

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