The Hidden Treasure Hunt 2026

A national recycling campaign combining e-waste education with real-world impact. Schools earn new tech rewards while helping families recycle old electricals responsibly.

Leaderboard prizes

Leaderboard prizes will be awarded to the top three schools at 12:00 midday GMT on 5 June 2026.

• 1st place — £10,000 Currys' prize vouchers for Microsoft tech
• 2nd place — £3,000 Currys' prize vouchers for Microsoft tech
• 3rd place — £2,000 Currys' prize vouchers for Microsoft tech

Termly prize draws

Schools are entered into the termly prize draws based on how many Planet Care Points they earn. Each Planet Care Point counts as one entry into the draw — so the more points your school collects, the more chances you have to win.

• Spring 2026: 2 schools win £1,000 + 10 families win £100
• Summer 2026: 1 school wins £1,000 + 10 families win £100

Eligible Products

Currys' prize vouchers for Microsoft tech awarded under the Hidden Treasure Hunt competition may be redeemed only against eligible Microsoft products sold by Currys, within the categories listed below. Product availability, pricing and ranges are determined solely by Currys at the time of redemption and may be subject to change.

Available Product Ranges

For £100 Currys' prize vouchers for Microsoft tech:

Microsoft Surface Accessories
Microsoft Surface Devices
Microsoft 365

For Currys' prize vouchers for Microsoft tech above £100:

Microsoft Surface Accessories
Microsoft Surface Devices 

The full and current eligible product ranges can be viewed via the Currys online links provided in the campaign FAQs. All redemptions are subject to stock availability and any applicable Currys terms and conditions at the time of ordering.

All UK schools with pupils aged 4–11 can participate. Once registered, anyone recycling tech can nominate your school.

Register for free at https://www.jointhepod.org/hidden-treasure. 

Your school will then appear in the dropdown list for nomination when families register recycling.

• School’s Quick Guide — simple overview of how the campaign works
• Curriculum-linked classroom activities on e-waste, recycling, repair, reuse, and data safety
• Launch assembly presentation featuring HypnoCat and the Hidden Treasure Hunt story
• Promotional posters and leaderboard tracking poster
• Parent communication templates ready for newsletters, ParentMail and social media
• Take-home collection bags & flyers for families to gather their unwanted electricals (limited supply, distributed subject to availability and registration timing)
• Campaign videos and animations including:
  • HypnoCat Mythbuster videos
  • Captain Busta & HypnoCat visit to Currys’ recycling process
• Infographics & fact sheets explaining how e-waste is recycled
• Fascinating e-waste facts posters for display in classrooms and corridors

Plus: 270 participating schools will receive a printed poster pack. A limited number of schools will also receive take-home collection materials (bags or flyers), distributed subject to availability and campaign logistics.

Anything with a plug, battery, or cable — phones, laptops, consoles, small kitchen appliances, tools, and toys. 

Please note: Large household appliances (e.g. fridges, ovens) are not eligible for the Hidden Treasure Hunt registrations. These are best taken to local Household Waste Recycling Centres or collected for recycling when a replacement is delivered, e.g. see Currys Recycling.

Electrical items dropped off at Currys or at any of the 30,000+ electricals and electronics recycling drop-off points listed on the Recycle Your Electricals locator are collected and processed through the UK’s regulatory WEEE system.

The Recycle Your Electricals locator signposts to existing, legitimate collection points (such as retailers, local authority sites, community collection points, and approved reuse organisations) that are part of the UK’s regulated electricals recycling infrastructure.

Because these sites operate within the UK WEEE system, items collected through them are handled according to regulated standards for treatment, recovery, and recycling.

What happens to the items?

Once collected:

• Items are transported to UK-approved treatment facilities
• Data-bearing devices have their data securely wiped or destroyed to UK-recognised data-security standards
• Items are inspected for potential reuse or part-harvesting
• Components are dismantled by hand and machine
• Materials such as metals, plastics, and glass are separated using techniques like magnets, eddy currents, shredding, and optical sorting
• These recovered materials re-enter manufacturing supply chains to make new products, reducing the need for virgin resources

This process helps recover valuable metals, prevent pollution, reduce carbon impacts, and keep hazardous components out of landfill.

Learn more

• For a full explanation of how electricals recycling works, visit: www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk 
• To understand how Currys manages unwanted tech as the UK’s largest household electricals retailer and recycler, visit: Currys Recycling Services
• For schools and families, The Pod resource library includes a wide range of curriculum linked education content for all ages explaining the e-waste recycling process—from how materials are recovered, to why recycling electronics matters.

When someone recycles an unwanted electrical item at an approved collection point, they can earn one Planet Care Point for a school, as long as they log the recycling visit.

Each recorded visit equals one Planet Care Point, with a limit of one per person per day.

Every Planet Care Point earned during a draw period counts as one entry into that term’s school prize draw. This means schools that inspire more families to recycle (within the one-per-day-per-person limit) increase their chances of being selected at random.

Recycling at Currys stores

If the recycling is done at a Currys store:

• They scan the Currys QR code and complete the short online form.
• Their nominated school receives one Planet Care Point.
• They are automatically entered into the individual termly prize draw to win £100 in Microsoft tech.
• No photo upload is required.

Recycling at other approved collection points

If the recycling takes place at a different collection point listed on the Recycle Your Electricals locator:

• They use the registration form on the Hidden Treasure Hunt homepage.
• Their nominated school still receives one Planet Care Point.
• To qualify for the individual termly £100 Microsoft tech prize draw, they must upload a photo of the items they are recycling at that location.
• Once the form and photo are submitted, they are entered into the individual prize draw.

School prizes

• Each Planet Care Point a school earns counts as one entry into the termly £1,000 Microsoft tech prize draws.
• Leaderboard prizes are awarded to the top three schools at 12:00 midday GMT on 5 June 2026.
• Full prize details are available in the separate FAQ - What prizes and rewards are available for schools?

*Terms and conditions apply in this competition

School prize draws are weighted based on participation.

Each Planet Care Point earned during the relevant period equals one entry into the draw.

Winners are then selected at random from all entries using a verified random selection process.

This means schools that encourage more families to recycle have more chances to win, while still ensuring the final winner is chosen randomly.

• Hold an assembly using the provided slides 
• Promote the campaign via newsletters/parent mail, websites, and social media 
• Distribute take-home flyers or bags encouraging families to recycle at Currys or local collection points (supplies limited and provided early adopter schools) 
• Track your progress on the national leaderboard at www.hiddentreasurehunt.org 

The campaign supports science, geography, and citizenship learning. 
 
Themes include:

• The circular economy 
• Sustainable technology
• Responsible consumption and recycling 
• The environmental impact of e-waste and consumption 

See the individual lesson plans and activities for detailed curriculum links for the English, Scottish, Welsh and NI curriculums. 

If your school or household wins Currys' prize vouchers for Microsoft tech through the Hidden Treasure Hunt competition, congratulations. Here’s how to redeem your prize: 

1. Prize value and eligible products 

Currys' prize vouchers for Microsoft tech awarded under the Hidden Treasure Hunt competition may be redeemed only against eligible Microsoft products sold by Currys, within the categories listed below. Product availability, pricing and ranges are determined solely by Currys at the time of redemption and may be subject to change.

Available Product Ranges

For £100 Currys' prize vouchers for Microsoft tech:

Microsoft Surface Accessories
Microsoft Surface Devices
Microsoft 365

For Currys' prize vouchers for Microsoft tech above £100:

Microsoft Surface Accessories
Microsoft Surface Devices 

The full and current eligible product ranges can be viewed via the Currys online links provided in the campaign FAQs. All redemptions are subject to stock availability and any applicable Currys terms and conditions at the time of ordering.

2. Selecting your prize

Within 28 days of receiving your winner notification email, you must: 

• Review the eligible product links above.
• Reply to the winner notification email stating: 
  • Your chosen item(s) from the eligible list.
  • Your full name, school or organisation (if applicable), and delivery address. 

You’ll then be contacted by Wastebuster to arrange a short Microsoft Teams call to complete your prize redemption.

3. How orders are placed

All prize orders will be placed by Wastebuster on your behalf during a Microsoft Teams call using the allocated Currys gift card. 

• The call will be recorded as evidence of the transaction. 
• Recordings will be securely stored in encrypted data storage for up to three (3) years, after which they will be permanently deleted. 
• Recordings are used only to verify the redemption and prevent fraud. 

If your chosen item costs more than your prize value, you may top up the difference during the call by providing valid card payment details. These details will be used solely for completing your order through Currys. By taking part, you agree that Wastebuster is not responsible for product choice, payment processing, fulfilment, or delivery, as these are managed directly by Currys. 

Please note: For this promotion, the Currys gift card can be used once only. Any unspent balance after that single transaction will be forfeited, so please choose your product(s) carefully.

4. Fulfilment and confirmation 

Once your order has been placed during the Microsoft Teams call: 

• You will receive a confirmation of purchase from Wastebuster, and an order confirmation directly from Currys once the order is processed. 
• Ownership of the product transfers to you (the winner) at the point the order is placed and paid for using the allocated Currys gift card (and any top-up payment, if applicable). 
• Delivery, product warranty, and after-sales service are managed directly by Currys. 

If your prize is awarded to a school, the product will be registered to and owned by that school. If awarded to an individual winner, ownership transfers to that individual. 

5. Important terms 

The Currys gift card used for the order is different to standard Currys gift cards. It can only be used once and must be spent in full (no change or residual balance available) on a selected range of Microsoft products in Currys. It is non-exchangeable and non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash or alternative prizes. If a winner fails to respond within 28 days, provides incorrect information, or does not supply complete payment or delivery details, the prize may be forfeited and awarded to another eligible winner in the next draw or leaderboard round. For verification, all prize communication and information should be confirmed by email as well as over the phone. Wastebuster is not responsible for delays, errors, or issues arising from inaccurate or incomplete information provided by winners.

• Campaign questions: info@hiddentreasurehunt.org 
• Resources: available on the Hidden Treasure Hunt website 

In all cases, schools should consider repair or refurbishment first – for continued use in school or the wider community. Once a school decides not to, or is unable to, reuse IT and electrical equipment, it should be managed as e-waste / WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment).

All schools and other organisations have a legal waste duty of care to safely manage their e-waste (and all other wastes). This means ensuring waste is correctly described, transferred only to a registered waste carrier and/or taken to a competent site, and that appropriate records or evidence of transfer are retained.

Schools also have a duty of care to protect personal and sensitive data stored on data-bearing devices. Before reuse, transfer or disposal, schools should ensure that all data is securely removed or destroyed to prevent unauthorised access.

Please note that the e-waste recycling points being promoted to families as part of the Hidden Treasure Hunt and Recycle Your Electricals campaigns are, in many cases, intended for household use only. These routes may not be able to provide the formal compliance documentation that schools and other organisations typically rely on to demonstrate they have met their waste and data duty of care obligations. Schools looking for compliant collection of their own equipment should instead use business recycling services such as local authority arrangements, specialist WEEE providers, or services like Currys Business that can provide appropriate documentation.

The Hidden Treasure Hunt campaign is focused on engaging families to recycle small household electrical items. It is not intended to be a disposal route for school-generated ICT, data-bearing equipment, or large or commercial electrical items.

Where schools have only a small volume of household-type electrical items, they may consider using these recycling points, ideally keeping a simple internal record of the transfer. However, it is strongly recommended that larger volumes of items, and any data-bearing equipment, are managed via business services that can provide appropriate compliance evidence.

As a first step, schools are advised to contact their local authority or existing waste management service provider for guidance, as support may be available locally. Some brands and electrical equipment suppliers may also offer advice or take-back options for their products at end of life.

Currys Business collection service for schools

Schools may also wish to contact Currys Business regarding collection and responsible recycling of unwanted ICT and electrical equipment, including IT equipment, TVs and other electrical items.

Currys Business offers a business-to-business collection and recycling service designed for organisations disposing of electrical equipment.

If your school completes the request to Currys Business, please ensure you include that you are taking part in the Hidden Treasure Hunt campaign, Currys Business may waive the standard collection fee when you open a Currys Business account (or if your school already has one). This arrangement is being offered on a trial basis and may be withdrawn at any time.

Currys Business can provide appropriate documentation to support your Waste Duty of Care and, where applicable, data destruction certification for data-bearing devices.

For more information, visit the Currys Business services pages or contact the Currys Business team directly to discuss your school’s requirements.

Further guidance on managing business e-waste is available from Material Focus, including information on reuse and recycling options and UK electricals recycling service providers. 

Checklist for schools’ own e-waste management:

• Consider repair or refurbishment first – extending the life of equipment can reduce costs and environmental impact
• Consider what appropriate steps you can take to remove or destroy data on data-bearing devices before they reused or recycled
• Contact your local authority, waste management provider and/or equipment supplier for advice and support on reuse and recycling
• Update your IT/ equipment asset register when items are transferred, reused, sold or disposed of
• For data-bearing items, the use of business e-waste or reuse services (such as Currys Business or other providers) that can provide certificates of secure data destruction is strongly recommended to support data protection obligations
• Ensure Waste Duty of Care compliance is met, including that:
  • waste is passed only to a registered waste carrier or direct to competent site
  • evidence of waste collections/transfers is provided and kept (e.g. waste transfer notes, consignment notes, data destruction certificates) waste is correctly described on compliance documentation, including types and approximate quantities