Second-hand · still working · Howden first

TYNESIDE
TECHNOLOGY

Working computers for people who need them.
Cheap, not broken.
Profit goes to good stories.

A for-profit path to put still-working second-hand hardware into the hands of people who cannot or should not pay full retail. We sell gear that works. The surplus funds appeals for free kit when someone’s story makes that the right call.

The model

2nd hand Still working kit
Low £ Prices people can actually pay
Stories Profit → free gear appeals

For profit — on purpose

This is a business. We source, test, and sell computers, laptops, and related kit that still work. Not landfill. Not “as seen” junk. Honest second-hand at prices that make sense for people who need access, not status.

Paying customers keep the flywheel turning: more gear in, more gear out, more surplus for the appeals pot.

Profit with a job

Surplus is not a founder lifestyle fund. It goes to good stories — cases where free (or nearly free) equipment is the right answer: family starting over, student locked out of schoolwork, someone job-hunting without a machine.

We run an appeals system so that path is open and fair, not a silent favour.

Who this is for

Buy cheap, working kit

Need a laptop or desktop that works and does not cost the earth? Message us. We will say what we have, what it costs, and what it can do.

Donate or pass on hardware

Got machines that still boot but you have upgraded? We want them — wiped, tested, and put back into use instead of a skip.

Appeal for free gear

If you cannot pay even a low price, and the need is real, use the appeals path. We review stories and fund what we can from profit and donations of kit.

What “still working” means

  • Boots and runs — not project boards for hobbyists only
  • Honest condition — scuffs and age are fine; lying is not
  • Wiped and ready — clean install / reset where appropriate
  • Fit for purpose — web, documents, learning, job apps; not a gaming showcase
  • Local first — Howden Community Hub base; expand as stock and stories allow

Appeals — free gear for good stories

Paid sales keep the lights on and the stock moving. Appeals are how surplus becomes dignity.

How to appeal

Message on WhatsApp (preferred) or email. Tell us, in plain language:

  • What you need (laptop, desktop, screen…)
  • What you will use it for
  • Why low-cost still is not possible right now
  • Anything that helps us prioritise (family, work, study, crisis)

No essay required. Truth and clarity beat polish.

How we decide

We balance stock, surplus from sales, and urgency of need. Not every appeal can be met. When we can help, we will — and we will say so clearly if we cannot yet.

Good stories are not marketing. They are the reason the profit exists. If you are a school, hub, or community group referring someone, say so — that helps us route kit where it multiplies.

How it fits the Tyneside family

Software builds tools and jobs. Cleaning pays people and funds reach. Charity multiplies care for new parents. Technology keeps people online — school, work, benefits, family — without demanding new-retail money they do not have.

Same founder. Same base at Howden Community Hub. Different door, same direction: capability and dignity on Tyneside.

Buy, donate, or appeal

Stock moves on WhatsApp. Free-gear appeals too. Email works — just slower.

WhatsApp · +44 7411 949215

Message on WhatsApp — that’s where I pay most attention.
Email is fine too, but I’m much slower: michael@tyneside.software

Howden Community Hub · Part of the Tyneside family