Earth Day is a reminder of the importance of sustainability, encouraging people to come together and take action for a healthier planet and brighter future, something which Vodafone’s Great British Tech Appeal aims to support. Every device that is donated is either cleaned up, reboxed and given to someone in need – alongside six months of free data, calls and texts – or recycled. Both of which help reduce waste and protect the planet. To date, Vodafone has reused or recycled more than 20,000 devices through this programme.

Curated by PK Porthcurno, ‘Going Mobile’ includes more than 70 phones and objects selected from the Mobile Phone Museum’s extraordinary collection of over 2,700 unique devices. These range from the earliest ‘brick’ devices of the 1980s to flip phones, sliders, clamshells and the latest smartphones. The exhibition marks the first time that the phones have been on public display as a collection.

Ben Wood, Founder, Mobile Phone Museum, said: “The sheer number of mobile phones sold annually means there are billions of devices languishing in drawers and cupboards. We are therefore delighted to continue our longstanding partnership with Vodafone to support the Great British Tech Appeal, ensuring that some of these phones have a second and third life or are recycled responsibly. All with the added upside of those donating being able to secure a free visit to the PK Porthcurno Museum to see the exciting ‘Going Mobile’ exhibition.”

Julia Twomlow, Chief Executive and Creative Director, PK Porthcurno, said: “We are delighted to partner with Vodafone and offer free museum entry to those donating their old phones and tablets. ‘Going Mobile’ tells the fascinating history of the mobile phone, but also raises awareness of the environmental impacts of ever-evolving mobile technology. Earth Day and Vodafone’s brilliant Great British Tech Appeal is the perfect opportunity to highlight the need for improved sustainability in the communications industry, and we look forward to welcoming new visitors to the museum for our latest exhibition.”

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Notes to editors:

Offer details: Any customer who donates an old laptop or tablet online and shows their Great British Tech Appeal confirmation email will gain free entry for one into PK Porthcurno, Museum of Global Communications. The offer starts 22 April 2024 and runs until 30 September 2024.

Vodafone UK

Vodafone UK is a technology communications company that connects people, businesses and devices to help our customers benefit from digital innovation. Our services span mobile, fixed-line connections, home and office broadband, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

We have a strong track record as a tech pioneer, making the UK’s first mobile phone call, sending the first text message, and making the UK’s first live holographic call using 5G in 2018. We were also the first to start carrying live 5G traffic from a site in Salford, Greater Manchester. As of June 2021, we have 5G in 670 locations across Europe – 318 in the UK and 352 across Germany, Spain, Italy and Ireland. Our 4G network coverage currently reaches over 99% of the UK population.

Today, Vodafone serves more than 18 million mobile and fixed-line customers in the UK. To help deliver Gigabit UK, our full-fibre broadband roll-out programme now covers 15 UK towns and cities through partnerships with CityFibre and Openreach.

Sustainability is also at the heart of what we do: as of 1 July 2021, 100% of the grid electricity we use in the UK is certified to be from renewable sources.

PK Porthcurno, Museum of Global Communications

The tiny Cornish village of Porthcurno was once the heart of international telecommunications, boasting the largest telegraph station in the world. Today, the PK Porthcurno is a vibrant and captivating museum and heritage site. Discover our World War II tunnels, which were the secret hub of Britain’s wartime communications; visit the Cable Hut where the UK’s network of underwater telecommunication cables came ashore; explore exhibitions and interactive displays telling the amazing story of global communications from the first practical use of electricity to how we communicate today using fibre optic cables that still run beneath the world’s seas and oceans.

PK Porthcurno is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered in England and Wales. Reg. no. 1189090. PK Porthcurno, Eastern House, Porthcurno, Penzance, Cornwall, TR19 6JX | 01736 810966

info@pkporthcurno.com | www.pkporthcurno.com

Mobile Phone Museum

The Mobile Phone Museum project was conceived by Ben Wood in 2004. In 2019 he worked with a small team to create a not-for-profit entity which is now a registered charity. It is designed to safeguard this important collection of mobile technology heritage and help fund further growth. The collection currently has over 2700 individual models from more than 250 different brands. There are over 6000 devices in total when duplicates are included. In addition to maintaining the collection, there is also an educational dimension to the project – which includes visits to schools and providing resources to students to help them learn about the technology around them.

Find out more at: www.mobilephonemuseum.com / For further media enquiries contact: media@mobilephonemuseum.com