A massive thank you to everyone who donated their old devices at the first Tech Amnesty back in December, collectively over 300 items were dropped off and are now in the process of being refurbished or recycled.

A second amnesty is being held on Saturday 21st January at Frome Town Hall car park from 10am – 1pm. So, if you were lucky enough to receive a new phone, tablet, laptop or PC for Christmas or missed the first tech amnesty day, please come along and give away your old, unwanted devices. Donate IT will collect all the items and either sustainably dispose of, or securely, wipe them. The items that can be re-used and refurbished then get given out to those in our community that need them.

Frome's Digital Connector, Will Palmer, from the Health Connections team at Frome Medical Practice, has already provided over 30 devices to people in Frome who need them since working with Donate IT from last October. Will said: "The donations are having such a positive effect – in the week before Christmas we gave two laptops to Syrian refugees in Frome, a phone with free data SIM was provided to a Ukrainian family and a further laptop was given to Fair Frome to pass on to someone they knew needed one. However, there is more to be done and with your help more devices can be made available."

Will continues: "There is also a limited supply of SIM cards available for those that need them, they provide 6 months of data, with free calls and texts."

"If you or anyone you know, needs a device please contact the Health Connections team at Frome Medical Practice. Or pop by the Digital Café which is held at the Cheese and Grain every Thursday from 10 – 11:30am. We're spreading the word but our local partners at the library, Frome Town Hall, Active & In Touch, Fair Frome to name a few will be able to signpost and help."

The Digital Café is also for those that struggle to understand their devices or have any "How do I…?" questions about their technology. Frome Community Education also run sessions upstairs at the Cheese and Grain on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10am – 12pm where further help can be found.

The Health Connections team can be reached by emailing [email protected] or calling 01373 468368. Visit their website: www.healthconnectionsmendip.org

Note: DonateIT was established following the successful Laptops4learners campaign spearheaded by Somerset County Cllr Sarah Dyke. Cllr Dyke along with Donate IT and Will Palmer presented the campaign at October's Frome Town Council meeting and the interest and support across the town has grown since then.

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