How Recycling for Charity began – Daniel Talbot
It was instilled in me as a child the importance of helping others, either individually or through Charity. I was enrolled in Scouts and enjoyed many adventures that taught me different life skills as a child. I showed potential in being an entrepreneur when I was younger this was encouraged by my family.
I have been lucky to have really supportive Parents and Grandparents who have always told me to work hard and never give up on pursuing your dreams. They instilled values that provide the mindset to achieve this:
• Sacrifice
• Determination
• Perseverance
• Staying strong
• Giving hope to people in need.
Over the years E-Waste has become a major concern for me and how much has already been put in the landfill, I wanted to make an effort and encourage people to recycle, saving our environment is paramount for our planet’s future.
When I first thought about starting Recycling for Charity, I wanted to donate money to charity and helping others was my main goal, all by recycling computer IT equipment. This came about by a conversation with a close friend who had a family member that recycled E-Waste in the UK. I rung and spoke to them about recycling and how we could implement it here in New Zealand and from that moment forward I started collecting computers for recycling.
Where I started my recycling:
I started recycling computers in my Grandad’s loft – yes that’s right in the roof – lol. During this time I worked as a full time truck driver for a company that did recycling.
After work, I’d come home and dismantle computers usually working till after midnight to get them all done. I became so busy I had to store computers stacked high in bedrooms. Eventually, I ended up doing recycling in the lounge as the weight in the loft was a concern and I didn’t want the ceiling to collapse! My family and friends were a big part of the recycling in the beginning by helping me dismantle the computers at the house and for this, I’m very grateful.
On my Grandad’s passing, I had to move out of his house and get a place of my own. Dad helped me build a shed so we could continue the recycling. The shed served its purpose for about 8 months before there was just no room in the shed. So I sought a bigger warehouse at 1 King Charles Drive, Upper Hutt, which is where we are to this day.
I was still working my day job as a truck driver. During this time Dick Smith’s closed down and I negotiated to buy a lot of their fixtures and fittings for the new Recycling for Charity shop.
The first charity to join Recycling for Charity was Mary Potter Hospice. I’d personally like to thank Lynne Bland who was really supportive and a great mentor to me in the early stages with what I was trying to achieve with the computer recycling.
Volunteers
Without the help of many generous people Recycling for Charity would not exist, thanks to the help of these volunteers we continue to grow and recycle more and more E-Waste everyday while supporting Individuals and Charities around the community both locally and around New Zealand.
Goal – 2020 and beyond
• To help and further support even more Charities, Schools and our Community
• Continue to push forward with reducing the E-Waste in our landfills
• Look into other ways of being able to recycle sustainably particularly, plastic and batteries.
Thanks to your help, we can all work together to make a better and greener New Zealand through recycling your old computer IT equipment.
If you can help by donating your old computer equipment please get in touch.
