The BBC’s Make A Difference: Give A Laptop campaign has seen 17,645 devices donated since its launch on 7 January, with a further 30,000 devices pledged by businesses across England. Radio stations have been directing listeners to the local charities listed on the Make a Difference website for donations.
Businesses, Trusts and Foundations from all over England have also been getting in touch to pledge devices, money and even data to those who need it most. And this is where the campaign is taking a turn…
Chris Burns, Head of Local Radio, says: “It’s great to see our listeners responding to our call to action. Data poverty is just as prominent as device poverty and we are committed to doing everything we can do to help support the great work of our schools during the pandemic, and they have told us that at data is needed just as much as the devices, with one in five households struggling to afford telecoms services*.
“We’ve received an incredible £700,535 in financial donations since the launch of the campaign, which will help so many schools and children. There is still more to be done but at this challenging time, our listeners are once again showing that community spirit is alive and well.”
To donate a device you can visit Give A Laptop or listen to your local BBC Radio station via your radio, smart device or using the BBC Sounds app.
