Knaresborough Rotary's appeal encourages support for school laptops scheme

Many children are struggling with their home schooling, having no access to the internet. The need is national, but also on our own doorstep. Rotary in Knaresborough has donated laptops to King James’s School, Boroughbridge High School and Nidderdale High School. We have negotiated a deal with Curry’s PC World, who are supporting the project. We would now like to try and help primary schools, but the demand is greater than we can meet alone. Brian Souter, spokesman for Knaresborough Rotary said, “We are launching an appeal for donations from the public. Each laptop costs £200 but we are happy to accept any donation, big or small. Donations can be made direct to Knaresborough Rotary Club by bank transfer at 60-12-26 and 76307557, please add reference ‘Laptops, or by sending a cheque to Knaresborough Rotary Club, ”Wharfedale”, Arkendale Road, Staveley, HG5 9JX”.

The Headteacher at Nidderdale High School, Ms K Jordan, said “We are very grateful to the Knaresborough Rotarians for the laptops.  We are to be able to get these much needed resources to our students who are, at the moment, trying to complete school work at home on mobile phones, or sharing laptops with other siblings and family members”.

The pandemic has had an enormous impact on education. Traditional face to face classroom teaching has been replaced by online learning. But not everyone has access to the internet, schools are struggling to provide enough tablets and laptops for pupil’s home working.  A local teacher wrote, “Some of our most disadvantaged families cannot afford to provide technology for their children and therefore these students are missing out on their online learning, not accessing their lessons and falling further behind their peers”.  

Knaresborough Rotary is currently meeting online and welcomes visitors. To find out more about Rotary contact rotaryknares@gmail.com or visit www.knaresborough.rotary1040.org.