Closing the digital divide

The David & Jane Richards Family Foundation is supporting Sheffield’s Laptops for Kids campaign.

During this disruptive period of continuing COVID-19 restrictions, thousands of young people in Sheffield are falling further behind with their education because they cannot log on for homework. Launched by our co-founder David Richards in partnership with The Star and Learn Sheffield, the Laptops for Kids campaign aims to close this digital divide by supplying free computers to pupils in need of internet access at home. 

The campaign’s organisers are calling on organisations and individuals in the city to donate unused equipment such as laptops and tablets. Learn Sheffield is working with schools to identify those young people in need and will coordinate distribution of the devices.

Donors are invited to securely erase devices before handing them over. Alternatively, the WANdisco Data Academy at The Sheffield College can securely erase the devices using licenses donated by data security company Blancco.

If you have any devices, old or new, to donate, please email laptopsforkids@wandisco.com.