The Bourne Group Charity Trust has donated 40 mobile phones to the South West housing charity BCHA.
Bourne Group’s employee mobile phones are being re-homed and distributed to people who are now housed safely in BCHA accommodation, to enable them to stay in contact with their family, friends and support workers and to access online advice and information.
Bourne Group HR Director, Clare Clayton, said: “When our new company phones arrived, we wanted to make good use of our old handsets so, through the Bourne Charity Trust, it was proposed that they be used to help people experiencing homelessness. BCHA is well-respected for its work in supporting disadvantaged people and we are thrilled to hear that some of its customers are already receiving and using our phones to keep them connected and in touch with their much-needed support systems. As a founding member of #SteelZero, Bourne Group Ltd is also dedicated to the decarbonisation of global steel production by the year 2050 and the optimisation of use of sustainable materials. So, recycling our phones by passing them on to people who really need them is an excellent example of sustainability.”
Daryl Gibbins, BCHA’s Business Support Services Manager said: “We are extremely grateful for this donation by Bourne Group Ltd. Being able to contact support workers, counsellors and family and friends, as well as being able to access online information, is vital to the most vulnerable members of our communities. However, many of our customers are completely excluded when it comes to the benefits provided by mobile phones and other forms of digital technology, because of the cost involved. Bourne Group’s phones are already being passed on to our customers who need them, along with BCHA-funded SIM cards. This generous and much appreciated resource is another step towards them being able to lead safe, settled and secure lives.”