A digital inclusion charity helping Tameside residents access technology and develop their digital skills has supported hundreds of people across the borough so far this year.
PCrefurb, which operates across Tameside and High Peak, provides refurbished laptops, computers, tablets and phones to people who may otherwise struggle to afford or access technology.
The charity also provides free digital skills training, helping people gain the confidence and practical knowledge they need to navigate an increasingly digital world.
In Tameside alone, PCrefurb has received 111 referrals for digital skills training in 2026, with 41 clients currently undertaking training and 42 having completed their sessions.
There have also been 171 referrals for equipment, with 147 completed.
Ellissa, Project Lead for Tameside, said the charity’s work is about much more than simply providing people with a device.
“PCrefurb is a digital inclusion charity,” she explained. “We take donated equipment, so laptops, phones, PCs and things like that, and we have a team of technical leads and volunteers who refurbish all the equipment that we get.
“If we can’t refurbish it to be used again, then we recycle it as sustainably as possible.”
The refurbished equipment is then made available to people in Tameside and High Peak who need it.
Those supported can include people who are unemployed, disabled, carers or experiencing financial difficulties, with the cost of technology often creating a significant barrier.
Ellissa said: “Financially, devices are quite expensive, so we’re trying to reduce that big barrier for people.”
PCrefurb can also provide SIM cards and Wi-Fi hotspots, helping people get connected to the internet as well as providing them with the equipment needed to access it.
But for many people, simply having access to a laptop or smartphone is only the beginning.
The charity runs digital skills sessions across Tameside, helping people with everyday tasks such as sending emails, staying safe online, shopping, searching for jobs and completing forms.
Sessions are currently held in Stalybridge, Mossley, Dukinfield, Hyde, Hattersley, Ashton and Denton, with people referred to the service through organisations and charities.
The sessions usually last around an hour and a half and are delivered by digital skills tutors alongside volunteers.
For Ellissa, building people’s confidence is just as important as teaching them how to use technology.
“A lot of people have lost their job, they are potentially becoming homeless, they’re in real financial difficulties, they’re a carer looking after somebody full time – we’ve got a whole range of people that we help,” she said.
“It’s developing the skills, but also the confidence.”
She said some people arrive feeling extremely nervous about using a laptop, worried that they might break it or simply unsure where to begin.
“And it’s not just the older generation,” she added. “This is younger people, middle-aged people – there is a big variety.”
PCrefurb also has a network of Digital Champions who help others at the sessions. Some of those volunteers were previously referred to the charity themselves and have gone on to develop their own skills and confidence.
Ellissa said: “They’ve got that skill level now and they’re growing their confidence. So that’s really important to us because it gives the clients that come in quite a lot of hope, I think, seeing that someone’s been through the process and they’re now helping others.”
PCrefurb was established in 2018 with the aim of helping to bridge the digital divide, later developing its work to include digital skills training alongside its equipment refurbishment service.
The charity’s work has grown significantly, with its services now supporting people across Tameside and the High Peak.
However, continuing to provide the service for free means the charity relies on external funding.
Ellissa’s Tameside project is currently funded through Tameside Council’s Trailblazer programme, while PCrefurb is also applying for further funding to help secure the future of its work.
Looking ahead, the charity hopes to reach even more people across Tameside, potentially expanding its sessions and providing more equipment to those who need it.
“Maybe we could cover all the boroughs in Tameside,” Ellissa said. “That would be excellent.”
To find out more about PCrefurb and its services, visit pcrefurb.org.uk.