)
Community Calling: How Community Calling helps those experiencing digital exclusion
)
Community Calling rehomes donated smartphones with people who need them so they can get online and stay in touch with loved ones – and you can play your part
By Virgin Media Edit
- Published
- 6 August 2025
Just as washer-dryers revolutionised laundry and two-in-one shampoo and conditioner changed hair care forever, the smartphone brought about a new era in photography.
Sure, phones had had cameras for a while, but they weren’t great quality and most stored fewer pictures than a roll of film. With smartphones, not only were the shots better, but you could also take – and keep – absolutely loads of them.
The only problem? When the time came to upgrade your phone, you couldn’t let go of the old one because of all the cherished photos on it. Backing them up on the cloud is the solution, but many people don’t know how to do it, or just never get around to it, when it’s easier just to hang on to your phone. That’s the kind of approach that has led to UK homes being cluttered up with an estimated 123 million old devices*, according to our new research.
To celebrate the fifth anniversary of Community Calling – our scheme with environmental charity, Hubbub, which rehomes smartphones with people in need, we’ve joined forces with photo printing company CEWE to provide a voucher code for a free CEWE PHOTOBOOK to the first 500 people to donate a working, eligible smartphone to the initiative. (Terms and conditions apply. Scroll down to the end to find out more.)
)
This will help you unlock the photos stored on your unused phone by turning them into a beautiful and stylish CEWE PHOTOBOOK. It means your device could have a second life and you can hold on to your memories, while helping someone else make new ones.
Find out more and sign up to Community Calling here.
Read on to find how you can get involved with Community Calling and how you can claim a voucher code for a stylish CEWE PHOTOBOOK.
What is Community Calling?
)
Community Calling is our device donation programme that rehomes unused smartphones to people who need them.
Community Calling is a real lifeline because it helps give people the means to get online and to stay in touch with their loved ones when they might otherwise struggle to do so.
We launched Community Calling (with our environmental charity partner Hubbub) during the pandemic to connect people who couldn’t afford smartphones or mobile data. Since then, the initiative has gone from the strength to strength, rehoming more than 24,000 donated smartphones with people who need them across the UK.
We’ve also partnered with a network of incredible charities, community groups and councils, such as Women’s Aid, Crisis, Salford City Council, and Supporting Children with Diabetes, supporting a wide range of people, including people who are experiencing homelessness, refugees, and survivors of domestic abuse.
Why don’t people donate their phones?
)
According to our recent research, Brits are holding onto devices in huge numbers, with an estimated 123 million devices sitting in drawers.
But why? It seems that sentimentality wins out, with 46% of Brits holding on to old devices because they are emotionally attached them, meaning there are around 11 billion photos** trapped on old devices across the country.
Yet many never get the chance to revisit them: 41% of those holding on to devices because of sentimental content have not backed up the content anywhere else, and one in four of those who have content stored in general admit they’re unconfident about backing it up.
Despite this, many people want their old tech to be used by someone who needs it. More than half (54%) of Brits say they would donate their old devices to charity if they knew it would go to someone in need. Nearly two-thirds (64%) like the idea of their tech getting a second life, and almost half (49%) would feel proud knowing it could help someone stay connected.
We want to help even more people, and with your help we can.
How do I get involved in Community Calling?
)
If you have a working, eligible unused smartphone, then why not consider donating it to Community Calling?
Visit the Community Calling webpage to find out more and to check that your device is eligible for donation.
While you should remove all your data and logins before you send it to us, Hubbub’s partnership with Relove Technology ensures the phone is securely data-wiped and cleaned before it’s rehomed.
Donated devices can help those experiencing digital exclusion. Plus, bearing in mind e-waste is the fastest-growing form of waste in the world, you’ll also be doing your bit for the planet and a greener future.
The first 500 people to donate a working, eligible device will also receive a voucher code for a free Large Landscape CEWE PHOTOBOOK with Recycled Paper worth £37.99. It is FSC-certified, made with 100% recycled inner pages and is 100% recyclable. Postage not included. Terms and conditions apply.
It’ll mean you can flip through your pics any time you want. No passcode required, no charger you can’t find. All using a form of storage that can never be deleted.
It’s an absolute win-win. You could get a beautiful CEWE PHOTOBOOK full of precious memories, your old phone isn’t taking up space in your house anymore, you’re helping to tackle e-waste, and your old device could be given to someone in need, helping them access vital services and stay connected to loved ones.
Yes, you should remove the SIM card from the phone because it may store personal information.
Hubbub’s partner, Relove Technology, will ensure the phone is securely data-wiped before it’s rehomed, but please make sure you back up your phone before you begin. That is very important.
To help people save their precious photos so they can be turned into a photobook, Hubbub has created a simple step-by-step guide to wiping and backing up old devices safely, making it easier than ever for people to preserve important memories before donating their tech. You’ll find it on this page – simply click “What to do with your phone before posting”.
)
)
)
Voucher codes will be provided on a first-come-first-served basis to the first 500 people who donate a working, eligible device. Photobook recipients are responsible for the £4.25 cost of postage. Promotion is subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.
Important: you must take steps to back up your data and then delete your data from your Handset before you send it in to Hubbub. Hubbub and/or its partners will wipe any remaining data on handsets sent to them. No data on handsets will be retained by us.
About the Research:
The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 2001 UK Respondents (Nat Rep 16+). The data was collected between 25.04.2025 – 28.04.2025. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.
*Respondents were asked “How many old or unused working mobile phones do you currently have in your household, if any?” which produced an average of 2.23 devices. This multiplied by the ONS Mid-year population estimate 2022 for UK adults aged 16+ equals 123.07 million devices.
**Respondents were asked “Approximately how much sentimental content do you have on your old or unused phone(s) that hasn’t yet been backed up?” regarding photos, messages and videos. This produced an average of 199.02 photos per person. These figures multiplied by the ONS Mid-year population estimate 2022 for UK adults aged 16+ comes out to 10.98 billion photos.
