Money earning mobiles

Nearly 50 unclaimed mobile phones have been handed over to charity by Transdev Yellow Buses (TYB).

Mobile phones and umbrellas are the items most often left on the company’s 107-strong fleet with about 1,000 mobiles classed as lost property each year.

On average around 40 mobiles are still unclaimed after a full month has elapsed. These are donated to TYB’s chosen charity, the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance.

The charity makes approximately £5 from recycling each phone with some bringing in as much £70. The latest batch raised more than £600. 

Tracy Bartram, Fundraising Coordinator, said: “Transdev Yellow Buses is our biggest supplier of mobile phones and we’re very grateful.

“This is something we’d like to expand so if any other company or organisation has access to a large amount of mobile phones, we’d love to hear from them.”

Jenni Wilkinson, TYB’s Head of Marketing, said: “We’re very pleased that such a worthwhile charity as Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance can make money from unclaimed mobiles.