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Positive News Round-up for May

Laptops4Learning News Round-up


Focus on refugees

Over the past couple of months at Laptops4Learning, we have been particularly busy getting devices out to refugees arriving in the UK. We have been horrified by the ongoing war in Ukraine and the senseless destruction of cities and worse, of people’s lives. Now refugees are reaching the UK in increasing numbers, and with their arrival there is a growing need for tech to help them continue education, keep in touch with loved ones from whom they have been separated, and engage in life and access to services here in the UK. As part of our continuing work, we have recently delivered over 300 devices to councils supporting refugees.


In Cambridge we have now partnered with local charity, Cambridge Refugee Resettlement Campaign (CRRC), to get devices out to Ukrainian families arriving to stay with host families in Cambridgeshire. We are urging companies to support the CRRC appeal for tech, and help refugees by having their surplus tech sustainably refurbished for social good through our TechAid UK solution. TechAid UK brings together local businesses and charities, repairing and refurbishing surplus tech from companies to support urgent needs in their local communities.


So far our work with CRRC has seen more than 150 devices distributed by CRRC’s volunteers. We are delighted that CRRC and L4L are now being supported by South Cambridgeshire District Council – they are both providing funding for devices for Ukrainian refugee families arriving in South Cambs, and also helping to promote our work to engage with local companies in Cambridgeshire to have their surplus tech refurbished and donated to the Ukrainian families. Together, we look forward to helping many more families.


We have also been engaging with Cumbria County Council, who generously donated 50 laptop bags to CRRC to go out with laptops they are distributing.


More widely, we have recently delivered 30 laptops to support refugees in Medway through the Homes for Ukraine scheme. These were generously sponsored by ARC:MC Ltd, and organised by Mat Bacon of ARC:MC working with Sara Daly of the Homes for Ukraine scheme. In Chiswick, we have been working with councillor Ron Mushiso, getting collections of tech which we are repairing and refurbishing to give back to help refugees in the borough of Hounslow.


We are delighted to welcome our latest partner, IMPACT London/Groundwork, which provides support to refugees to build confidence and gain useful skills for life in the UK. Our first delivery of 15 laptops has just gone out to Groundwork, and we look forward to our partnership enabling support of many more refugees in bridging hotels across West London.


There is so much need among refugees, and with the continuing war in Ukraine, as well as instability in other parts of the world, these needs are only set to grow. Please consider using your surplus tech for social good, while also being sustainable and helping our environment. Get in touch to see how we can help you to make a difference.


A Sustainable Solution

Laptops4Learning’s work is great for our environment, as well as making an impact for social good. We extend product lifecycles, giving surplus tech a new purpose improving the lives of the digitally excluded. Our work has so far helped more than 3300 people get access to digital devices, while saving more than 6000kgs of e-waste and over 700,000kgs of CO2 emissions. Helping those in need is making our future more sustainable – the ultimate win-win.


Other news


We have just donated a large monitor to Cogwheel Counselling in Cambridge, after their request to see if we could assist. This will help them continue to deliver affordable counselling in the challenging environment brought about by the impact of the pandemic.


Our work with Level Trust during the pandemic saw more than 650 devices being distributed to local schools in Luton and Bedfordshire to help children continue their education through the lockdowns. We are very pleased to be re-engaging with Level Trust, through their new CEO, Jenny White, to help them deliver one of their new initiatives. In the north, we are in discussion about how we might work with the Salvation Army in the Fylde, Lancashire.


And finally, our founder, Sue Gowling, has been asked to take part in 3-Sided Cube’s podcast Igniting Change which looks at the role of technology and how it can be utilised by organisations to achieve incredible social impact. We look forward to sharing how Laptops4Learning has been using sustainable tech for social good.


Author

Paul Gregg 22/06/22

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