Charitable trust boosts Mail Force’s laptops-for-children drive with £500k pledge 

A wonderful £500,000 was pledged yesterday by a charitable trust that said: ‘We cannot stand by and let a generation slip through the net.’

The registered charity, set up to serve the needs of society, preferred to remain anonymous. But its generous donation will start work straight away helping the Daily Mail’s crusade to get laptops to lockdown pupils.

A spokesman said: ‘This is a time of national crisis and the Daily Mail’s campaign struck a chord with the trustees. 

‘We are delighted to make funds available for a campaign that meets one of our key strategic aims to support the educational development of all young people. 

A charity organisation, which has chosen to remain anonymous, has pledged £500,000 to the Mail Force laptops-for-children campaign. Mail Force laptops in the hands of Moston Fields pupils and (back right) head Sarah Murray

One of the first to get a device was the Brady household where screen time was being rationed because just one tablet is shared by Jess, eight, Paul, seven, and Paige, three

One of the first to get a device was the Brady household where screen time was being rationed because just one tablet is shared by Jess, eight, Paul, seven, and Paige, three

Struggling with just a small touch screen on a smart phone is not the best way to connect with her online classes, admits Mercy Ezomo-Oghagbon

Struggling with just a small touch screen on a smart phone is not the best way to connect with her online classes, admits Mercy Ezomo-Oghagbon

‘During these unprecedented times it is not enough to sit on the sidelines or leave it to government organisations to meet the crises facing many families.

‘Charitable trusts and foundations that have benefitted from good financial returns in the last few years must try to go over and above their normal levels of support. 

‘We cannot think of a better way to invest in the future than to support young people, and these young people are in need of essential equipment in order to access an education.’

Generous Daily Mail readers have opened their hearts to give a staggering £1.2million in little more than a week to help get pupils online in lockdown.

More than £673,000 has been donated online, plus £500,000 in cheques ranging from £5 to £5,000. Others have dialled the donations phone line or sent a text.

The donations – which total £1,245,460 – came with humbling messages of support, many from grandparents and retired teachers.

Last (but not least) to get his device was Luca, ten. He and brother Rocco, seven, have been having to share an iPad. Oldest sibling Charlie has his own PC

Last (but not least) to get his device was Luca, ten. He and brother Rocco, seven, have been having to share an iPad. Oldest sibling Charlie has his own PC

Readers’ generosity, combined with gifts from businesses – as well as a fabulous £500,000 from one charity alone, takes the overall total raised to an incredible £6.4million.

Mail Force, the charity originally set up to get PPE to the NHS, is using the funds to buy new laptops for schoolchildren and refurbish used ones donated by companies. Readers said they trusted Mail Force to ‘get the job done’.

Among the letters sent with cheques, Jennie Dawson from Lincoln said: ‘I am one of the many who have been asked to shield. I have had my vaccination thanks to the very clever scientists who developed it – so who knows, out there somewhere among all these children there will be another budding genius ready to help the human race – hope this cheque will help with another laptop.’ Another, signed ‘A Grandma’, said: ‘My grandchild has access to two computers, so please give this money from my pension to support the children who are not so lucky.’

Mother Mercy Mensah, 45, and her delighted daughter Debrah Abolarinwra, 10, after receiving a laptop from Mail Force  earlier this week

Mother Mercy Mensah, 45, and her delighted daughter Debrah Abolarinwra, 10, after receiving a laptop from Mail Force  earlier this week

St Paul’s Church in Heaton Moor, Stockport, sent money raised from a jam sale, while the Alfred and Beatrice Weintrop Charitable Trust gave £5,000. Beryl Comben from Chatham, Kent, wrote: ‘I was seven when the Second World War started. I know what it is like to have your education put at risk. Good luck with your campaign.’

Mail Force is working with the IT specialists the Government uses to kit out laptops ready for schools. The campaign has won plaudits from head teachers, unions and parents, and was praised in the Lords yesterday by education minister Baroness Berridge.

A third of families say they do not have enough computers for their children to follow online lessons. The Department for Education aims to get 1.3million laptops to schools – and said yesterday 927,000 had been delivered. The laptops donated by Mail Force come on top of these.

5.45AM, BOXED AND READY TO GO: Another consignment of Mail Force laptops

5.45AM, BOXED AND READY TO GO: Another consignment of Mail Force laptops

6.30AM, EARLY START: It is still dark when the laptops leave the depot to meet their new young owners

6.30AM, EARLY START: It is still dark when the laptops leave the depot to meet their new young owners

11.19AM, TIMELY: The precious consignment is unloaded at Moston Fields Primary...

 11.19AM, TIMELY: The precious consignment is unloaded at Moston Fields Primary…

... along with a delivery from the Department for Education

… along with a delivery from the Department for Education

Retired head teacher Rosemary Anderson, of Northamptonshire, wrote: ‘Anything that helps with children’s learning can only be a good thing. Thank you for setting this up to give the support they need.’

Grandfather David Gullery donated £100 with the message: ‘How can you say no to a fantastic effort from the Daily Mail. Well done.’

Many of those sending in cheques had already donated to Mail Force’s PPE campaign. Elisabeth Scarff said: ‘Well done Daily Mail, once again you have come up trumps.’

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: ‘Mail readers know that every child should have access to world-class education. Your generosity shows the commitment of this country to our young people. Your donations, raised in such a short space of time, will make a real difference.’

HOW TO DONATE TO COMPUTERS FOR KIDS 

CLICK HERE TO DONATE 

TO YOU, THE READER: How to send us donations 

The Daily Mail has launched a brand new campaign, Computers For Kids, to raise money for Mail Force – a charity which aims to provide much needed school equipment and resources for pupils across the UK learning from home.

With schools closed, we are left with the dilemma of hundreds of thousands of pupils in the UK having no access to a computer in their home.

As part of this campaign, companies are donating their old laptops which, for around £15, can be wiped, professionally refurbished and made safe and fit for home schooling. They can then be delivered to a child or young person who needs one.

In addition, the campaign is looking to support children’s needs in other ways such as funding brand new laptops and tablets, and assisting with data access and connectivity for online learning. Any surplus funds will be used to support of the work of UK schools via other means.

TO MAKE A DONATION ONLINE

Visit mailforcecharity.co.uk/donate and follow the steps to complete your donation. 

Please don’t send us your old device.

TO MAKE A DONATION VIA YOUR PHONE

To donate £10 – text KIDS10 to 70115

To donate £20 – text KIDS20 to 70115 

TO COMPANIES: Could you give your old laptops?

Upgrading office computers is something all companies do from time to time – and there has never been a better time to donate old laptops. If you are a company with 50 laptops or more that you could give, please visit www.computacenter.com/daily-mail to check they are suitable and register your donation. We will arrange for collection by our specialist partners Computacenter. Please note: we cannot accept donated laptops from individuals.

COMPANIES SHOULD GO TO: computacenter.com/daily-mail 

TO SCHOOLS: Where to apply for the computers

Schools must apply to the Department for Education, which is managing the demand and prioritising the schools most in need. The Mail Force initiative means more laptops will become available more quickly.

SCHOOLS CAN APPLY HERE: https://get-help-with-tech.education.gov.uk