Back to school: Aion Silicon helps the engineers of tomorrow

A Good Thing is an online platform that allows businesses to give things away to their local charities. Less to landfill, more to a good cause! The case study below is an example of the wonderful impact that can be made through these matches.

Donor: Aion Silicon
Location: Reading, Berkshire
What was donated:
table-football table
desks and office chairs
cupboards and shelving
lots of stationery
screens
a meeting table
Sector: engineering, technology
Charities that benefitted:
Long Sutton Church of England Primary School
The Unicorn School
Education Business Partnership West Berkshire (EBPWB)

Very shortly after joining A Good Thing in September 2025, Aion Silicon made a big impact, donating to three wonderful organisations based on their specific requirements.

A Good Thing’s new ‘charity needs met’ feature enables charities to make specific requests for donations, and businesses can match these directly. This is another success story for this new feature: Aion Silicon helped schools and education partners access essential resources, while reducing its own waste at the same time.

You might not think there was much to share between schools and Aion Silicon, a technology company specialising in advanced silicon solutions. But alongside the firm’s technical expertise, it’s committed to responsible business practices and to creating a positive social impact within its community. Joining A Good Thing allowed the firm to put this commitment into action quickly and effectively, donating an impressive amount of furniture, stationery, kitchenware and even a table-football table!

Two schools supported

Long Sutton Church of England Primary School in Hampshire is a small village school supported by an active and dedicated PTA (parent/teacher association). The PTA plays a vital role in enhancing the school environment for pupils and staff, often working within tight budgets.

The school’s ‘charity need’ listing focused on furniture and practical supplies to support classrooms and office spaces. In response, Aion Silicon donated desks and office chairs, cupboards and shelving, tables and chairs, and various items of stationery. These donations will all support both teaching and administration at the school, helping to improve learning spaces and day-to-day operations.

Amy, Admin Officer at the school, told us: “We picked up some office/classroom chairs, along with some screens and a filing cabinet. The whole process was very smooth, and we are very grateful to have received these items.”

The Unicorn School located in Oxfordshire, is a specialist independent school dedicated to supporting children with dyslexia and related learning differences. The Aion Silicon donations (including screens, cupboards, chairs and a meeting table) have all already been put to good use in the new school building. Leanne Sinclair, the school’s fundraising manager, explains:

“Thanks to the donation, we didn’t have to spend money on furniture. We were pleased about being able to reuse materials rather than purchasing them, supporting the environment as well.”

The school was especially grateful that Aion Silicon also covered the cost of transportation, literally going the extra mile to share its resources and create a positive impact. The Unicorn School hopes to have raised enough money by 2028 to open a third school building with more support for children with special educational needs.

At A Good Thing we’re delighted to hear that the charity is already in conversation with Aion Silicon to keep the relationship going, showing that the platform can act as a springboard for future relationships between businesses and charities for true sustainability.

Supporting young people

The Education Business Partnership West Berkshire (EBPWB) charity works with schools, colleges and employers to help young people prepare for the world of work. Its programmes support employability, career development and meaningful engagement between education and local businesses.

EBPWB is new to A Good Thing, and identified (and published) a ‘need’ for stationery to support its ongoing work with schools and students. Aion Silicon’s donation helped the charity to continue delivering its valuable programmes without additional financial pressure. We heard from EBPWB that “this has been extremely beneficial for our organisation – it has saved us a considerable amount of money.”

Making a difference through targeted giving

These matches all demonstrate how effective it can be when charities are able to clearly state their needs – and businesses are able to respond directly. By using A Good Thing’s ‘charity need’ feature, Aion Silicon ensured its surplus items were put to good use… maybe even supporting the next generation of engineers!