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Laptops Donated To Isle Of Wight Children In Women's Refuge

Laptops

Five laptops have been donated to Isle of Wight children living in a women's refuge.

The Island’s Southern Housing Group plans to expand the initiative across the Island, including through its homeless families’ service, which helps local families to find permanent accommodation.

Recent data suggests that almost a million young people in the UK still don’t have access to a laptop or tablet for school, despite 14 million spare laptops sitting idle in people’s homes.
Southern Housing Group has committed to continue the initiative even after schools return next week (Monday).

'Cllr Paul Brading, Isle of Wight Council’s cabinet member for children’s services, education and skills said: ‘I’m grateful to Southern Housing Group for its commitment to helping the community through these challenging times. Initiatives such as this are vital if we are to ensure that local schoolchildren have the tools they need to make the most of their education through remote learning. I am incredibly proud of the way all Staff and Pupils have adapted during these extraordinary times.’

The initiative is directly funded by Southern Housing Group through its hardship fund, which was set aside at the start of the pandemic to help support some of the housing association’s most vulnerable residents to access food and other essential provisions.

Anabel Palmer, Director of Community Investment and Care at Southern Housing Group said:

'We know that many families on the Island, and across the UK as a whole, are finding home schooling a real challenge. The lack of a basic educational tool such as a laptop should not be part of that challenge. We are determined to help, which is why we have teamed up with local organisations to help students get online.’

The gifted laptops were delivered in partnership with The YOU Trust, the refuge’s service provider, and Stone Group, which refurbished the donated devices.

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