What could you have in common with Chanel Tapper from California, Smokey the Cat from Northampton, or ‘Lil Poison’ from New York? With the longest tongue, loudest recorded purr and the title of youngest professional gamer at just two years old, they are all Guinness World Record Breakers. 

What do we have to do with a World Record Attempt?

Now you have the chance to become a World Record Breaker with O2 Recycle and raise money for charity at the same time. And all you need to do to take part is recycle an old phone or two!

From Friday 7 October to Friday 14 October 2011, O2 Recycle is challenging people across the UK to head to their nearest O2 store and donate their old mobile phones in a bid to break the World Record for the number of used mobiles donated in one week.

O2 Recycle wants to smash the existing Guinness World Record of 6,130 phones donated in one week, and at the same time boost the £500k it has already raised for charity.

Where’s the money go?

When a person recycles with us they can either donate all the money to the Think Big charities, or can receive the trade in value for the handset. All profits generated from the O2 Recycle programme, will be donated to our Think Big projects, which offer young people aged between 13 and 25 in the UK the chance to receive funding, training and support to develop ideas or initiatives that can make things better for them, their community or surroundings. It can be anything from starting a dance club, to starting a revolution!

For each one young person's project we fund, approximately 100 people are positively impacted. So if, for example, we raise £30k with this record breaking attempt and fund 100 projects, that's 10,000 young people we positively impact.

You can donate your old phone to the campaign either at your nearest O2 store, request a freepost envelope by going online at www.o2recycle.co.uk, or call 0845 505 0202.

What do we think about this?

Bill Eyres, Head of CR, Environment and Sustainability New Business, says “This challenge is a fun way of highlighting how we can help the environment through responsible recycling while also helping people get great prices for their unused phones and other gadgets. We don’t take a penny from O2 Recycle as it all gets donated to our Think Big initiative to support amazing young people making a difference in their communities. We would like to appeal to as many people as possible to take part and become official Guinness World record breakers!’

A shocking reality

It is estimated that there are approximately 90 million old mobile handsets gathering dust across the UK. With over one million handsets being put on the market each month in the UK, there is now a perfect opportunity to dig out those old phones, put them to good use to help a great cause, and become a Record Breaker too.

As well as helping to support our Think Big programme, which makes a real difference to the lives of many disadvantaged young people by championing their ideas, you could do your bit for the environment by diverting handsets away from landfill sites where they can cause pollution and contribute to global warming.

Journalists can contact the Virgin Media O2 press office on:
press@virginmediao2.co.uk 01753 565656
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