At time of writing, it's early December.

The extended, drawn-out Black Friday period with its constant adverts from the likes of Curry's and EE exhorting us to buy new tech at the "lowest ever price" and get "our best ever Black Friday deals" is now behind us. But only just. 

Many of you reading this will probably have differing opinions on Black Friday, ranging from excitement to ambivalence, outright rejection of it and all that it stands for to embracing it with relish... 

Don't get me wrong: if the new kit is essential and taking advantage of a Black Friday deal on a device like a laptop or phone is the only way that you or someone you know can afford it then all good - happy days. Bag yourself a bargain.

But, irrespective of whether or not you availed yourself of a Black Friday deal, if you're lucky enough to have recently bought new tech and devices and have older kit that you no longer use hanging around, what can you do with it?

Be a Secret Santa and give someone in need an early Christmas present, that's what!

Did you know that the Yorkshire and the Humber region has some of the highest levels of digital poverty and exclusion in England?

New initiatives have sprung up across Yorkshire and the Humber, aimed at helping people out of digital poverty and increasing digital inclusion, and a lot of good work is being done.

Local authorities and charities like the Digital Inclusion West Yorkshire programme, the Good Things Foundation, and East Riding of Yorkshire Council have worked on solutions for digital poverty, digital exclusion and digital inequality, such as device donation schemes and digital skills training to bridge the digital skills gap and digital divide, highlighting that it's a deep poverty issue. 

Across Yorkshire, Doncaster and Bradford are classified as the most deprived overall, but a common theme across the different towns, cities and areas of Yorkshire is not being able to afford and/or have access to devices, enough data and a network fast enough to access websites and essential services online. Economic barriers to digital inclusion exist and the struggle is real, because living in poverty makes broadband social tariffs and devices unaffordable.

Some examples of local initiatives and solutions across the Yorkshire and Humber region are West Yorkshire Combined Authority, running Digital Inclusion West Yorkshire and training community groups to deliver digital support; East Riding of Yorkshire Council, offering free devices and courses through the Digital Gifting Scheme; the Good Things Foundation, who provide free data and refurbished devices across North Yorkshire; Wakefield Council, who started its own device donation drive in the area to supply local children with tech and devices; plus the Mayor's Digital Skills Plan, put into action with the aim of equipping all West Yorkshire residents with the necessary digital skills to unlock better education, career and social opportunities. 

But, there are still more ways we can all help alleviate digital poverty in Yorkshire, wherever you live and work.

Many of us have old and unused devices like phones and laptops languishing in a drawer or in a corner at home or in the workplace.

Yes, you could trade them in at a high street shop like CeX or online at Back Market, or take them to your local Tip for recycling, but an even better solution is to donate them to a good cause.

Whereabouts in Yorkshire accepts donations of tech and devices?

Starting with North Yorkshire, Reboot North Yorkshire is North Yorkshire Council's scheme to provide devices to residents who lack digital access. You can drop off items at North Yorkshire libraries or local Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) that accept WEEE (Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment). The North Yorkshire Council website states that "you can recycle mobile phones, free of charge, at all household waste recycling centres".

Age UK York has its IT ReUse Project, which accepts tech and devices like smartphones, laptops, and tablets at their York charity shops, to help people stay connected. Drop off at one of their listed shops or visit the itreuse.org.uk website for more details. 

In East Yorkshire, The Restart Project helps find local digital reuse projects in your area that fix and distribute devices to people in need (such as kids, and job seekers, for example).

In South Yorkshire, there's Laptops for All, for local computer and laptop donations; Aspire Sheffield for refurbished tech; and Northgate Community Hub (Tickhill) who accept donations in the Tickhill area. 

For West Yorkshire, Digital Access West Yorkshire (DAWY) takes donated laptops and tablets and passes them on to people who need them in Leeds and Bradford. Full details of how to donate - and what to donate - can be found at the Digital Access West Yorkshire website -  accesswy.org/donate/ - but if you live in or near Leeds you can take your device and cables directly to Hyde Park Book Club (making sure that everything is together and bagged-up, and you hand it to a staff member).

There's also St John's Farsley, who collect your unwanted laptops, tablets and phones. They do so on behalf of two organisations that help people who most need access to computer and electronic digital equipment in West Yorkshire - namely, Digital Access West Yorkshire (led by volunteers and gets devices to children, older people, charities and organisations that need them in West Yorkshire), and Tech Angels (who provide devices for children in parts of Leeds).

Another option for donation are the national charities, like British Heart Foundation and Oxfam, who often accept working electricals or phones in their charity shops. But always check first.

If there's nowhere in your immediate local area then try the national schemes with local impact, including Hubbub Community Calling, who partner with O2 to give old smartphones and free data to those without internet access; and the Great British Tech Appeal (run jointly by Vodafone, Good Things Foundation and Barnardos) that collects phones and tablets for young people. They make sure that every reusable device will go to someone in need, along with six months free data, calls and texts. Any devices that can’t be reused will be recycled. And, you can donate as an individual or as a business.

And, if you, your business or organisations knows a family or individual who would benefit from a little extra digital access help and support and they live in the appropriate area, make a referral to DAWY, Tech Angels or The Tech Ladder. The Tech Ladder is a Social Enterprise in Beeston and Holbeck offering free digital support for anyone in the city, though they especially look to support the communities of South Leeds. The Tech Ladder have new and refurbished smart phones, tablets, laptops and PCs available to gift on an ad hoc, case by case basis. They occasionally have data sim cards and devices with connectivity to gift, too.

Lastly, Virgin Media offers an Essential Broadband package. Virgin Media says that "Social tariff broadband is our most affordable option for people in lower-income households. If you’re receiving Universal Credit, Pension Credit or certain other government benefits, you could be eligible for our M15 or M50 Broadband on a social tariff."

So, could you or your business help alleviate digital poverty and exclusion? 

If your business is winding down in the run-up to the festive period 2025, take the chance to go through your drawers, cabinets and storage rooms to see if there's anything that you can pass on. 

You'll get to play Secret Santa and help narrow the digital divide. 

It helps with business sustainability.

It might even be tax deductible (although we hope that you'll be doing it for more altruistic reasons!). 

And, who knows? You may end up employing someone who has been given an opportunity because of donated tech!