Chamber joins call for business laptop donations

East Midlands Chamber has urged businesses to donate spare IT equipment to home-working parents who may be unable to afford laptops or tablets for their children.

With schools closed during the third national lockdown, it means many employees must balance work with childcare duties.

But after concerns have been raised that not everyone can afford the necessary equipment for online home-schooling, the chamber said there will be some companies who can step in to offer support – and it may even bring benefits to their business.

Director of resources Lucy Robinson said: “It’s become increasingly clear throughout this pandemic that Covid-19 is only serving to widen gaps between people according to their socioeconomic groups.

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“We absolutely must not allow this to also lead to a widening of the education gap as there’s plenty of evidence to show how important a decent education is to setting children up for a good career – enabling them to contribute to the local economy in future.

“There will be many businesses that have spare laptops and other IT equipment lying around offices unused as a result of either temporary or permanent reduction in headcounts.

“We would encourage companies to help out by either loaning or donating kit to their own employees who fall into this category, or to schools and dedicated charities.”

The chamber itself has donated laptops and other computer equipment to Ashover Primary School, based near the organisation’s Chesterfield head office.

Elsewhere, Heanor-based bus operator trentbarton, which provides services in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, has donated two laptops to Enterprise for Education (E4E).

The group is a not-for-profit public-private sector partnership based within Derby City Council’s education department that aims to mobilise the city’s workforce to help young people prepare for both life beyond school and the world of work.

Jeff Counsell, managing director at trentbarton, said: “Like many businesses, we have been moved by hearing about children unable to do as much remote

schoolwork as they need during lockdown.

“Some are struggling to do any and some families with more than one school-age child face added difficulties.

“We are pledging our support by donating laptops for the children of families in our community and we urge any other businesses that can do likewise to join in.”