In the long months of quarantine, keeping in touch with friends and family on Skype and Zoom was a lifeline many of us simply couldn’t imagine going without.
So, when I read that thousands of homeless people in the UK are to be given a free smartphone to help them stay connected with loved ones, and keep updated with Covid news and regulations, it reminded me just how fortunate we are to have such easy access to vital technology.
Backed by Tesco Mobile, homelessness charity Crisis has already provided 1,000 mobile phones to those in need since the start of lockdown, and it plans to provide a further 1,500 in the first year of the new programme.
Initially, I thought it didn’t seem like a very large number – but then I realised, each of those mobiles represents a person who has nowhere to call home, which is truly heartbreaking.
The initiative is a great idea, and it got me thinking about the old iPhones that I have sitting in the back of a drawer somewhere. Maybe it’s time we all have a clear out, donating old tech that could be a wonderful gift for someone who really needs it. That’s a call none of us should decline.
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