Donating to charity is now FREE!
15 April 2009
We can all now take a simple, practical step towards funding research into tinnitus and deafness, by supporting Deafness Research UK’s mobile phone recycling initiative. Deafness Research UK has teamed up with Regenersis to create a mobile phone recycling programme aimed at funding further deafness research projects.
If you are changing your phone and don’t need the old handset, follow these simple instructions:
- Take out your SIM card
- Place your unwanted mobile phone handset in an envelope
- Write FREEPOST Deafness Research UK – RA on the envelope
- Pop it in the post
Ruwan Perera, director of development for Deafness Research UK, said: “There are currently over 70 million mobile phone subscribers in the UK‚ who replace their handsets every 12 to 18 months on average. All this means that there are a lot of old mobile phones sitting around‚ unused and gathering dust... which could otherwise be helping fund the next breakthrough discoveries in hearing research.
”People who are deaf or hard of hearing experience significant communication problems as it is difficult to hear what is being said. What better way to raise funds for world-class hearing research into addressing these problems than to recycle mobile phones which are no longer wanted but which have helped so much in communications?”
Do you have any old‚ unwanted mobile phones lying around at the back of your drawers or cupboards?
Deafness Research UK ensures that your old unwanted mobile phone is recycled in a safe and environmentally-friendly manner. There are an estimated 80 million unwanted mobile phones in the UK‚ less than 10% of which are recycled at present. Each of these phones could generate crucial funds for Deafness Research UK’s vital hearing research. So‚ go on‚ please dig out and send us your old mobile phone and help us to support Deafness Research UK! A few minutes of your time will transform life for people who are hard of hearing, forever.
You could personally boost this program significantly, by encouraging your friends, employer, colleagues, school, university, social club etc to become involved in recycling old mobile phones in support of Deafness Research UK. If you work for a company, you could make a huge impact by encouraging them to initiate a mobile phone recycling scheme for employees or to donate their old company contract mobile phones when upgrades occur.
We are keen to make this as easy for you as possible, so please contact to find out how to go about any of this or if you have a good idea for people or organisations we could approach about mobile phone recycling.
Ruwan Perera added: “Your support is greatly appreciated – your mobile phone really could make a difference and help us to fund research which will transform life for millions of people with deafness and related conditions.”
Notes for editors
About Deafness Research UK
- Deafness Research UK is the country’s only charity dedicated to finding new cures, treatments and technologies for deaf, hard of hearing and other hearing impaired people.
- The charity supports high quality medical research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of all forms of hearing impairment including tinnitus.
- The Deafness Research UK Information Service provides free information and advice based on the latest scientific evidence and informed by leading experts. The Information Service can be contacted on Freephone 0808 808 2222
- For more information on research into deafness, tinnitus and other hearing conditions, log on to the website at www.deafnessresearch.org.uk where you can access a wide range of information. Alternatively you can e-mail Deafness Research UK at
- One in seven people in the UK – almost nine million people - suffer hearing loss.
- Deafness Research UK was founded in 1985 by Lord (Jack) and Lady Ashley of Stoke.
- In January 2008, Action for Tinnitus Research (ATR) was linked with Deafness Research UK under a uniting direction order under Section 96 (6) of the Charities Act 1993.
Press enquiries
Jon Gardner, BeyondPR. Direct line 0114 275 6996. Mobile 07930 697773. email:
Ref: DRUK0145 – Mobile recycling
