How to donate your old gaming consoles to charity

It’s December now, which means the PS5 and Xbox Series X are finally available to buy (depending on stock, of course).

If you’re lucky enough to have snapped up one of the next-gen releases ahead of Christmas, you might be stuck pondering what to do with your old console. There are a few roads you could take, from gifting your Xbox One X or PS4 to a friend, selling it on second-hand or just dumping it in a landfill (please do literally anything but this).

However, there’s actually a fourth option and it’s a fantastic choice if you’re looking to put some good into the world this holiday season. Get-Well Gamers UK is a charity happy to take your tired console off your hands and give it a new home.

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Get-Well Gamers collects donated video consoles and games and distributes them to children’s hospitals, hospices and other healthcare settings across the UK, providing entertainment and pain relief to kids in need year-round.

“Video games are an effective and proven pain management tool, providing much-needed entertainment for young people during long hospital stays or in circumstances in which recreational activities can be beneficial”, explains Get-Well Gamers on its website

The organisation currently works with over 100 hospitals and organisations across the UK, meaning your old console and games are sure to find a good home. Read on to find out how to donate your console to Get-Well Gamers UK.

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How to donate your old gaming consoles to charity

The first step is to decide what you want to donate.

Get-Well Gamers accepts a huge variety of consoles, including the PS4, PS4 Pro, Xbox One, Xbox One X and Nintendo Switch. The organisation is also looking for accessories and games for these consoles, making this a great opportunity to have a spring clean and donate any well-loved titles you don’t play anymore.

If you’re interested in donating a console, first make sure it has been reset to its factory settings, is clean and is in working order.

Then all you need to do is contact Get-Well Gamers via the form on its website. The charity will send over a confirmation email with all the shipping details you’ll need to post your donation.

Simply pack your console or games up in a box, along with a note with your name and email address, and post it via Royal Mail or CollectPlus.

Get-Well Gamers estimates that a < 5kg parcel will cost you around £5 to send, though the organisation may be able to cover the postage label if this is an issue. You can read more about that on their website, though.

And that’s it – you’ve donated your old console!