Drax Group is working with partner schools local to its Galloway Hydro Scheme to support children and ensure they can continue with their studies from home during the coronavirus lockdown.
- Energy company Drax is delivering laptops with prepaid internet access to schools and colleges local to its operations across Britain, to ensure students can continue with their studies during the Covid-19 crisis.
- Five schools and Dumfries & Galloway college and will receive 72 of the Drax HP Chromebook laptops with pre-paid dongles.
With schools and colleges closed, many children whose families do not own a computer are finding it difficult to access learning resources.
To ensure no child is left behind, Drax has invested £250,000 in a total of 853 new laptops and each one has three months of pre-paid internet access via a 30GB dongle to support their learning over the summer term. The laptops are being delivered to Drax’s partner schools, local to its operations across Britain as part of the energy company’s efforts to support its communities during the lockdown.
Will Gardiner, Drax Group CEO, said:
“We’re very happy to help people in our communities by providing our partner schools with the technology they need to get more students connected online so they can keep learning during the Covid-19 crisis and beyond.”
Laptops have been provided to six schools and a college in Dumfries and Galloway, including:
- Dumfries & Galloway College
- Gelston Primary School
- Castle Douglas Primary School
- Kirkcudbright Primary School
- Dalry & Kells Primary School
- Crossmichael Primary School
- Heathall Primary School
Billy Currie, head of corporate services at Dumfries & Galloway College, said:
“This donation of laptops from Drax is going to make a huge difference to the lives of students currently without access to online educational resources – as well as our whole college community after the Coronavirus lockdown is over.
“Ensuring no-one gets left behind in their studies during the lockdown is a priority for us, but schools and colleges don’t just provide education – they’re a whole support system. Having computers and internet access means pupils can keep in touch with their teachers and fellow students more easily too – which is also incredibly important at the moment.”
McNabb Laurie, Team Leader of the Galloway Glens Scheme, which has been assisting in the local distribution of the equipment, said:
“The donation of laptops and internet access is hugely welcome and is just one example of how Drax continues to play an important role in supporting our communities and helping our young people reach their full potential.
“Education is essential, and these laptops will help children across Dumfries and Galloway to keep up with their studies and stay connected to their friends while we all stay apart”.
