ANOTHER FANTASTIC £500k
Firm’s boost means our push to get laptops for pupils hits £5.6m
IN a boost for British children, one of the country’s most successful online retailers pledged a whopping £500,000 to Mail Force yesterday.
The Hut Group’s donation sends our campaign to help pupils in lockdown get online soaring to £5.6million in just a week.
Laptops are already being handed out to schoolchildren who desperately need them to follow online lessons.
The Mail’s Computers for Kids campaign has attracted extraordinary support from readers and big firms alike, with high street bank Santander also joining in yesterday.
Offering 250 laptops to Mail Force, Tony Prestedge – Santander UK’s deputy chief executive – said it was ‘delighted to be supporting the Mail’s important campaign and playing our part in ensuring children in urgent need of equipment do not get left behind during lockdown’.
Matt Moulding, executive chairman of The Hut Group (THG) – which operates more than 200 international consumer websites and specialises in beauty and nutrition products, said: ‘We are delighted to be able to support
‘The Daily Mail’s campaign is superb’
this campaign. THG has been very fortunate to be able to trade successfully through these difficult times, while a vast number of British businesses have been badly impacted.
‘It is only right that those businesses that have seen success, like ourselves, step up and help.
‘It is this generation of young people who will drive our country forward in the years ahead, pulling us out of the long-term effects of the pandemic.
‘Giving our young people the toolkit they need is essential for them to play their part in driving the recovery.’
Mr Moulding, 48, founded the Manchester firm in 2004. It has grown exponentially and was recently valued at more than £6billion.
The married father-of-four, said: ‘Everyone has seen how challenging it can be to do home schooling. We’ve got 10,000 staff and many of them are having to do home schooling at the moment.
‘They are doing brilliantly, juggling their work and keeping their kids on track with their lessons, but it’s a challenge for any parent.
‘It’s been a really tough year for kids and we genuinely all feel for them. I can only imagine how you would feel as a 15-year-old boy or girl who has been putting everything into GCSEs and then everything is on hold.
‘What this campaign is doing is getting them online, giving them an access point to the outside world, and we’re all really proud to be able to play a small part in it.’
A third of families in the UK say they do not have enough devices for their children to study on.
The Mail’s Computers for Kids campaign combines cash contributions from readers and firms, and used laptops donated by companies.
For as little as £15, a laptop has its memory securely wiped and it is rebuilt for the classroom by our IT specialist partner.
The Mail Force charity will also use funds to buy new devices.
With the help of our amazing readers and Britain’s biggest companies, we aim to help the governments get more out – and to do it faster.
Mail readers have dug deep, sending £930,000 in cheques, online donations and by phone and text.
Many have written heartfelt letters of support – including lots from retired teachers and grandparents.
Former college lecturer Phil Costis wrote: ‘I know how vitally important it is to have laptops for children these days so they can study at home and keep their schooling going. The Daily Mail’s campaign is superb.’
One donor said it all with money – sending no message, but donating an amazing £5,000. Every penny will go towards buying or refurbishing a laptop or helping a child get online with data.
Another donor called Miriam wrote: ‘My adult children had normal academic lives.
‘Through no fault of their own, today’s children are not receiving what mine had.
They are our future adults so I hope my small contribution will help those that are disadvantaged the most.’
David Park sent £30 and wrote: ‘I was lucky to have been born into a stable family. I lived in a great environment and won a place at a brilliant grammar school led by highly engaged teachers with motivated pupils.
‘This initiative just may give others a similar chance in our crazy world.’
Maggie Cresswell gave £20 and left a message saying: ‘As a retired teacher – distance learning sounds great!’
COVID-19 is a disease that hardly affects children physically.
Yet the devastating impact of school closures will harm this generation of pupils for a lifetime.
each one will typically lose £40,000 in income over their working lives, with the most deprived disproportionately faring worst. Strong remote learning can offset the damage. But this must be available to all, not just the lucky few.
That is why the Daily Mail’s Computers for Kids campaign, which seeks to get as many laptops as possible to pupils who need one, is crucial. So far, an astonishing £5.6million has been raised, thanks to donations from you, our unbelievable readers, and firms such as The hut Group.
every penny will help our most disadvantaged children take a step on the ladder to success.