The Hidden Treasure Hunt 2025-26

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 Microsoft tech vouchers
• 2nd place — £3,000 Microsoft tech vouchers
• 3rd place — £2,000 Microsoft tech vouchers

Termly prize draws

Schools with at least one Planet Care Point are automatically entered. Families who log recycling are entered too.

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

Eligible Products

Microsoft prize vouchers 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 prize vouchers:

Microsoft 365
Surface accessories - Cheap Surface accessories Deals | Currys 

For prize vouchers above £100:

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 for the first 250 schools that sign up)
• 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: The first 250 schools to sign up will also receive a printed pack and take-home collection materials

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.

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

• Every school with at least one Planet Care Point is automatically entered 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

• 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 Microsoft prize vouchers through the Hidden Treasure Hunt competition, congratulations. Here’s how to redeem your prize: 

1. Prize value and eligible products 

Microsoft prize vouchers 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 prize vouchers:

Microsoft 365
Surface accessories - Cheap Surface accessories Deals | Currys 

For prize vouchers above £100:

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