Wheatley Group’s ‘Techshare’ programme sees old staff devices upcycled and passed to tenants who cannot afford to buy computer equipment.

The laptops, iPads and tablets help tenants get online to study, apply for jobs and training, managing their welfare benefits or just to keep in touch with friends and family.

The programme is run by Wheatley Foundation and has supported Wheatley customers across its communities in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dumfries, Renfrewshire and Fife.

Professor Paddy Gray OBE, chair of Wheatley Foundation, said: “As we celebrate Zero Waste Week, it’s great to see how programmes such as Techshare can help the planet and tenants. Techshare prevents computer devices from going to landfill and instead enriches the lives of tenants who cannot afford to buy a device and go online.”

Wheatley sends the devices for quality checks and, those that can be upcycled, are cleared and rebuilt as good as new. The news comes just as the Scottish Government announced it was set to pause funding for its free iPad scheme, launched during the COVID pandemic to help more people get online.

Wheatley Homes Glasgow tenant Omolara Lasisi, 48, her partner Dara and their daughter Oyinda have benefited from the 130 upcycled devices passed to tenants so far. Omolara said: “We’re really grateful for being given two laptops, as we know how expensive they can be. I’m currently studying health care at Glasgow Clyde College, so having a laptop has been really helpful for my studies.

“My daughter is also moving to Aberdeen soon to study International Business and Spanish at university, so having a laptop will be really important.”