m-hance, a leading software solutions provider and Microsoft Gold Partner, has taken part in the Business2Schools campaign which was launched last March, with the aim of ensuring that all children being taught at home while schools are shut have access to a computer.
The Business2Schools charity has been featured in the BBC’s Make a Difference campaign as one of the organisations helping to address the digital divide. Amid the new lockdown, hundreds of more schools have signed up and more businesses have come forward to offer their support.
Last month, Callum Foster, Technical Services Manager at m-hance, heard the BBC Breakfast News which was appealing for old computer equipment to be refreshed and distributed to children that needed learning tools given the home-schooling requirement due to the global pandemic. A recent report has found that nearly 1 in 10 UK households with a child do not have any access to a laptop or tablet. With schools now closed, it is vital that children have access to these electronics for their education. After seeing the Make a Difference campaign run by Business2Schools, Callum believed that he could help. First of all, Callum spoke with his colleagues and the management team at m-hance, to discuss the possibility of donating spare equipment to the cause. He then contacted Business2Schools.
Business2Schools is a charity that rehomes good-quality office furniture and computers that might otherwise go to landfill or be sold. The charity currently has more than 500 schools registered across the UK and since lockdown started it has found more than 600 laptops for schools, 400 desktops and more than 600 monitors. Business2Schools directed Callum to Buile Hill Academy, a local Manchester school that was in need of help with supplying some of their students with learning equipment. With support from the m-hance team Callum managed to get 16 laptops and 1 desktop to children struggling to keep up with their education.
John Marsh, Head Teacher of Buile Hill Academy said “After exhausting all the resources that we originally had available to us to help our children with remote learning, there were still a number of students that needed equipment. We are over the moon that due to the generous donation from various charities, Callum at m-hance and Business2Schools, we can provide all of our students with remote learning facilities to fulfil our inclusive school values. Here at Buile Hill Academy we are a family and pride ourselves on being aspirational, respectful, and proud. We can now ensure all of our children have access to the excellent work that we are doing online.”
Callum Foster, Technical Services Manager at m-hance also said “After hearing the appeal on BBC Breakfast News, I wanted to see if we could help in any way. After raiding the old stock cupboards at our offices, we found a number of laptops that would be ideal for remote learning. Talking to the teachers and some of the pupils at Buile Hill Academy and understanding the challenges they were facing, I know that the equipment we’ve donated really will make a difference to the pupils. With our help, we hope that they can carry on with their education during the pandemic, enabling them to get a better experience when remote learning.”
Any business or individual that has office furniture or computers they want to donate should contact the charity directly at info@business2schools.com or to donate visit www.justgiving.com/business2schools