Drax Group is investing £200,000 in delivering hundreds of laptops to local schools and colleges to ensure students can continue with their studies during the lockdown.
This is part of a package of measures designed to support communities around Drax’s operations as the fightback against the pandemic continues.
Drax has been working with headteachers at its partner schools to source and provide families with laptops and prepaid internet access so children without a computer at home can connect and continue with their studies during the lockdown.
Chief executive Will Gardiner said: “The pandemic continues to have a major impact on families, businesses and communities across the UK – our support for students means we’re helping to get them connected so they can keep learning during the lockdown.”
As part of its initiative to inspire more children to study STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Maths) subjects, Drax has been working with partner schools for some time, delivering a range of projects and careers events.
Ian Clennan, head teacher of Selby Community Primary School in North Yorkshire, which will be receiving some of the equipment, said: “This donation of laptops from Drax is going to make a huge difference to the lives of pupils currently without access to online educational resources – as well as our whole school 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 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 classmates more easily too – which is also incredibly important at the moment.”
Russell Hobby, chief executive of Teach First, a leading charity which aims to address disadvantages in education, added: “Home schooling is difficult for any family, but for children with limited access to a laptop or the internet – the barriers to studying are even greater. This generous donation by Drax will help hundreds of children to continue to learn during the crisis and have a positive impact on their life chances, as well as the communities in which they live.”
Meanwhile, engineers at Drax Power Station have installed blue lighting on one of the 114m tall cooling towers in appreciation of the NHS as part of the ‘Clap for Carers’ initiative.
Keeping Us Connected is a new series from Utility Week in which we highlight the achievements of companies and employees across the utilities sector in getting the UK through lockdown. To nominate a member of your team for recognition, please email jameswallin@fav-house.com