With schools once again closed and a renewed need for remote education to be as accessible as possible, Bremont is launching its own laptop donation scheme in partnership with Barnardo’s to help vulnerable children across the United Kingdom at this critical time.
Barnardo’s is the UK’s largest children’s charity, and last year supported over 350,000 children, young people, parents and carers across the UK. The charity ran a Coronavirus Crisis Appeal in the first lockdown period in early 2020 which saw an overwhelming response and specifically responded to a myriad of immediate needs facing the children and young people they support. As Barnardo’s gears up to reopen its Crisis Appeal, Bremont has committed to supporting digital poverty and connectivity which remains an urgent area of need. In only a week Barnardo’s has received over 500 requests for tablet/laptop support to facilitate home schooling requirements.
Bremont Co-Founder Giles English says:
“Having heard so many terrible stories of vulnerable children not having any computer equipment whilst trying to home school has been truly heart-breaking. In the first lockdown Bremont created a bracelet to raise funds for ‘Food for Heroes’, a phenomenal charity set up to provide food for NHS staff. Once more we feel compelled to help and we passionately believe that schooling should be a basic right given to every child. Children need the right tools to be able to learn, without which they are missing out. If we can help any child get through this period when schools are closed then it is a great privilege to do so. Of course, working with Barnardo’s offers every assurance that these laptops will be going to the right homes.”
Barnardo’s Chief Executive Javed Khan said:
“The Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown measures have hit vulnerable children especially hard. The lack of devices and affordable internet access means many children already at a disadvantage are falling further behind at school and missing out on vital support and opportunities.
“We’re grateful to Bremont for their generous donation scheme, which will provide vulnerable children with much-needed laptops so they can take part in lessons, access services, and work towards a positive future.”
The Coronavirus lockdowns in the UK have presented many unique challenges for how schools could continue to provide education for pupils and it became immediately obvious that the main channel for education would have to be online learning. However many children either have no access or only limited access to a shared device like a parent’s smartphone as their only means of trying to complete online learning. Bremont is proud to be working with Barnardo’s to help this incredibly worthy cause.
