Local businesses are being urged to support a campaign to ensure all school children in the county have access to a laptop at home.
Midnight Communications, a PR company which has been based in Brighton for more than 25 years, have funded the refurbishment through Tech-Takeback of 10 laptops to the Bilingual Primary School in Hove this week and would like others to follow suit.
The company’s donation was part of the Level Up Laptops appeal, launched by Brighton-based marketing technology business Sopro in partnership with Tarner Community Project and Tech-Takeback.
Midnight Joint Managing Director, Alex Hankinson, said: “Schools may be going back on the 8th of March but the direction of travel for learning is clearly digital and it’s vital that children have access to laptops of their own when they go home.
“Lots of schools ask children to use websites such as TTRockstars for their times tables and Purple Mash for reading and comprehension orfor coding. It shows that children need digital devices now and in the future.
“Many of us take having that kind of equipment for granted but there’s a digital divide emerging for those who cannot access them, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic.
“We hope other businesses across Sussex will also support what is a fantastic initiative.”
Midnight and Level Up Laptops believe there are hundreds of companies across Sussex with old or unused computers stashed away in drawers and cupboards.
“It’s a waste of technology and potentially a data threat, too,” added Alex.
“Erasing those laptops of information and donating them to schools is good for the businesses, good for the environment and good for pupils.”
Businesses can also donate money to help the Level Up Laptop appeal buy new IT equipment or fund the refurbishment of donated devices for schools, and it’s clear the donations are well received. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/leveluplaptops
Simon King, Headteacher at Bilingual Primary School, added, “During recent Lockdowns, we have seen the power of online learning, which we hope to build on now that children are back in school. These laptops will help to ensure that all children have access to the full breadth of our home learning opportunities.“
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NOTE TO EDITOR:
Full details of the Level Up Project can be found on its website at: https://leveluplaptops.co.uk/
Level Up Laptops will accept any laptop that runs Windows 7 or later plus tablets, which many younger children need for their studies. All devices will be refurbished before being distributed to children struggling to maintain their education remotely.Any devices donated to Level Up Laptops go through a thorough process to data erase, refurbish and PAT test them, conducted by technology partners KLYK or Tech-Takeback, before they are distributed.
