Asda has donated 10 laptops and tech bundles to Perth Grammar School.
The supermarket giant teamed up with Dell to invest £2 million so that every one of its UK supermarkets could donate at least 10 laptops to a local school to help with digital exclusion.
And the laptops have been warmly received.
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Each laptop comes with a tech bundle. The bundle includes a headset and a mobile internet dongle with a data allowance of 20gb from Asda’s network partner Vodafone.
And Perth Grammar’s business manager Scott Jewell said the tech bundles in particular would be invaluable.
He said: “We are delighted. We have got a number of families who are struggling with Wi-Fi.”
He said the internet dongles would also help in the longer term once pupils return full-time.
Mr Jewell said: “Even once everyone’s back at school this will help pupils with their homework.”
Perth City Centre councillor Peter Barrett said the donation added to the support Perth and Kinross Council had put in place to address digital exclusion.
The Lib Dem councillor said: “Earlier this month the Liberal Democrats identified the need to tackle digital and financial exclusion in our community.
“We successfully secured funding of £250,000 in the council’s budget to break down digital barriers and ASDA’s programme is entirely in line with our initiative as well as the council’s approach to tackling digital exclusion among our young people.
“I don’t want any of our young people to be left behind because they don’t have a device or can’t get a good internet connection.”
He added: “Asda put a lot back into the local community in Muirton and North Muirton including a big monthly end’s donation of food for the Give or Take boxes. I am grateful to Anna Jellye, Asda Dunkeld Road Store’s Community Champion for selecting the Grammar school.”
Perth City Centre councillor Chris Ahern welcomed the gesture and said it was an example of how the pandemic has brought communities closer together.
The Conservative councillor said: “This is a great example of communities coming together to beat adversity, and once again a shining example of the good that has come out of the pandemic.
“I think this pandemic has changed our communities for the better and has brought everyone closer together.”
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Asda chief executive Roger Burnley said: “It’s clear that digital exclusion is an issue affecting many thousands of children who attend schools in communities that we serve.
“These children have been disproportionately affected by the lockdown and are at risk of falling further behind their peers. We want to do all we can to help break down the digital barriers so they can continue their education remotely.”
Senior vice president and general manager for Dell Technologies in the UK Dayne Turbitt said: “Digital exclusion is a growing global and societal issue, which is significantly impacting the UK as a result of the most recent national lockdown.
“As a global technology company committed to driving human progress, we want to help support families across the UK with access to devices, connectivity and the critical tools needed to fully participate in remote learning.”
