With 1,000s of children throughout the area being asked to access online learning as part of the latest lockdown, Hednesford Town Council has launched an urgent appeal for used and unwanted laptops and tablets.
Having heard reports of local children having to share laptop access with as many as two or three school aged siblings or trying to access lessons and complete work using mobile phones, the council is now asking kind-hearted residents to donate their unwanted computers.
Laura Dunning, Hednesford Town Council’s Community Officer, spoke to local schools and found that as many as 200 Hednesford children do not have access to a laptop, with many more having to share devices, impacting on their ability to learn.
Steve Lightfoot, Hednesford Town Council clerk, who conceived of the idea after reading about device shortages in the national press said: “It is likely that there are many devices in cupboards and spare rooms in the town that are no longer used, that could be an absolute lifeline to parents and children who are struggling to get online to complete lessons. We’re keen for as many local residents as possible to come forward and donate equipment, which will be passed onto school IT departments to set up and distribute to pupils.”
Those looking to donate are being asked to drop off their donations at Bella’s Coffee Shop and Community Café in Hednesford town centre, between 11am and 2pm Tuesday to Saturday.
Hednesford Town councillor and owner of Bella’s Coffee House, Paul Woodhead said: “It’s incredibly important to us that we can support our local community in any way that we can during and beyond this latest lockdown. I’m pleased to say that in Steve and his new colleagues we’ve been extremely fortunate in identifying four community minded and giving individuals who as well as supporting the aims of our volunteer parish councillors are coming up with their own initiatives and working hard to improve the lives of Hednesford residents.”
To find out more go to the Visit Hednesford page on Facebook www.facebook.com/VisitHednesford or call 01543 424872.
The initiative will support pupils at St Peters, St Joseph’s, West Hill, Poppyfield’s, Pye Green, Hednesford Valley, Kingsmead and Staffordshire University Academy.
