How many old smartphones do you have tucked away in a drawer?
One? Two? Maybe more.
For most of us, they’re forgotten devices we’ve simply never got around to recycling. But for someone experiencing domestic abuse, that same phone could become a lifeline.
At Freeva, we know that leaving an abusive relationship is rarely as simple as walking away. Many survivors have their phones monitored, controlled or taken from them altogether. Some flee with nothing but the clothes they’re wearing.
Without a safe way to call for help, contact family, speak to a support worker or access essential services, rebuilding a life becomes even harder.
That’s why we launched Old Phone, New Lifeline.
Every phone tells a different story
A donated smartphone isn’t just a piece of technology.
It’s the ability to make that first call.
It’s access to emergency services.
It’s being able to speak to an Independent Domestic Violence Adviser.
It’s arranging somewhere safe to stay.
It’s contacting an employer, solicitor, GP or child’s school.
It’s reconnecting with family and friends.
Most importantly, it’s giving someone back a level of independence that abuse has tried to take away.
One phone can change everything.
Building a sustainable source of support
Thanks to the incredible response from our community, we’ve already begun receiving smartphone donations.
Many of these devices are worth considerably more than expected. Rather than using them once, Freeva is developing a sustainable loan scheme, allowing suitable phones to support multiple survivors over time wherever it is safe and appropriate to do so.
This means every donation has the potential to help not just one person, but many.
As always, the safety and individual circumstances of each survivor will remain our highest priority.
Donate your old phone in minutes
We’ve made donating as simple as possible.
You can register your phone donation online and then drop it off at one of our growing network of collection points across Leicester.
Our citywide collection points include Active Leicester leisure centres:
› Aylestone Leisure Centre
› Braunstone Leisure Centre
› Cossington Street Sports Centre
› Evington Leisure Centre
› Leicester Leys Leisure Centre
› New Parks Leisure Centre
› Spence Street Sports Centre
These centres are helping make donating easier than ever by providing convenient locations across the city. Active Leicester operates seven leisure centres throughout Leicester, making it simple for residents to support the campaign wherever they live.
Register your donation
Before dropping off your phone, please complete our quick online registration form.
Register your phone donation here:
Old Phone, New Lifeline Donation Form
The process only takes a couple of minutes and helps us prepare every device for someone who needs it.
Could your organisation get involved?
We’re also inviting businesses, community groups, schools, charities and workplaces to support the campaign.
Whether you collect one phone or one hundred, every donation makes a genuine difference.
By becoming a collection point or promoting the campaign to your staff, customers or members, your organisation can help ensure more survivors have access to a safe, secure way of reaching support.
If your organisation would like to partner with Freeva, we’d love to hear from you.
Together, we can turn old phones into new beginnings
Most old phones end up forgotten.
Yours could help someone escape abuse.
It could help someone ask for help.
It could help someone rebuild their future.
Old Phone. New Lifeline.
Because everyone deserves a safe way to reach help.
