Community Projects
Open Source Advocacy and E-waste Reduction
The community-facing arm of our device upcycle work. Talks at local groups, free Linux workshops, and collaboration with Calder Valley recycling and waste-reduction organisations.
Paid device upcycle service available at hebdentech.co.uk/services/device-upcycle.
Why this matters
Old Devices Are Not Dead. They Are Just Running the Wrong Software.
Electronic waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world. In the UK alone, millions of working laptops, phones, and tablets are discarded every year, not because the hardware has failed, but because the manufacturer stopped supporting the operating system. The device is physically fine. It has simply been told it is old.
At the same time, plenty of people in the Calder Valley cannot afford a replacement device. A functional laptop running an outdated version of Windows that no longer receives security updates is a real problem. The same laptop running a current Linux distribution is a perfectly capable machine. The knowledge gap between those two realities is what this work is about.
What we do
Free Talks, Workshops, and Partnership Work
Practical advocacy. We show rather than preach.
- Talks at local groups
Short, accessible talks for community organisations, libraries, and residents' groups on open source software, what it is, and why it is worth knowing about.
- Free Linux workshops
Hands-on sessions for people who already have an old laptop they cannot afford to replace. We show what a refreshed Linux machine looks like and what it can do.
- Partnership with recycling organisations
We work with local recycling and waste-reduction groups across the Calder Valley to handle the technology strand of their work, assessing donated devices and identifying which can have a second life.
- Device donation pathways
We take in working devices that residents no longer need, assess them, install Linux or LineageOS where appropriate, and find them a new home through community channels.
- Open source software introductions
LibreOffice, Firefox, Thunderbird, GIMP: free, modern, and supported alternatives to paid software. We run introductions for individuals and groups.
- Honest about limits
We do not push open source as a religion. Some devices are past saving, some people's needs are better met by paid software. We are always straight about that.
Get involved
How to Take Part
Attend a free workshop
Check our events page or get in touch to find out when the next Linux workshop or open source talk is running. Bring your old device if you have one.
Refer someone with an old device
If you know a person or household with a working laptop that is no longer getting updates, point them our way. We will assess it and either help directly or guide them through the free community pathway.
Donate a device
Got a working laptop, phone, or tablet gathering dust? We can assess it, install appropriate software, and find it a new home. Get in touch and tell us what you have.
Host a talk or workshop
Run a community group, library session, or residents' event? We will come to you and run a talk or hands-on workshop at no cost.
Use the paid service for yourself
Need your own device refreshed properly? The paid version of this work, with full setup, data transfer, and aftercare, is available at our device upcycle page.
The paid service
Need a Full Device Refresh?
The community work above is free, focused on awareness and knowledge transfer. If you need a full device upcycle: proper assessment, operating system installation, data transfer, written guide, and a two-week follow-up, that is our paid service.
Most jobs run between £60 and £120. We give an honest assessment first and only proceed once you are happy with the quote. No pressure either way.
See the device upcycle serviceGot an Old Laptop or Want to Come to a Workshop?
Get in touch to find out what is running, or to arrange a talk for your group.