Birketts and CI-Connect bridging ‘digital divide’ with Every Child Online computer donation

Birketts and Essex-based IT services firm CI-Connect have donated 25 PCs to Every Child Online, a charity dedicated to ensuring children have the IT equipment they need to access an education at school and at home.

Every Child Online prepare these devices for use in schools and at home learning tools, technology that has been in high demand since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. A ‘digital divide’ has affected students unable to access online learning the most, so the work of Birketts, CI-Connect and Every Child Online is a vital resource for ensuring children can get the education they are entitled to. Birketts’ IT team regularly donate the firm’s PCs to charity; youth charity Inspire Suffolk received 25 PCs of their own at the end of 2020.

Birketts’ computers will go to the students of Tattingstone and Bildeston Primary Schools in Suffolk, with more going to the Creative Computing Club – a Community Interest Company in the county teaching tech skills to all ages since 2012.

Kevin Bugg, Birketts’ Head of Information Technology, said: “We are proud to work with Every Child Online and see our donated technology make such a difference in children’s lives. As a firm we take our Corporate Social Responsibility seriously and we make sure we practice what we preach; we have all experienced different challenges through the pandemic but no child should miss fundamental learning through a lack of access.”

Simon Gurner, Founder of Every Child Online, added: “The PCs provided by Birketts and CI-Connect will make a huge difference to a child’s education. Donations of company computers such as these close this educational gap and ensure all our children have the correct equipment to learn from home. Many thanks to Kevin for putting Birketts’ devices to the best use.”