Bridge the digital divide by donating an old laptop

Laptops for Bristol is hoping to get 1,000 laptops to those in need across the city.

Launched by councillor Cleo Lake with support from Avon Fire & Rescue Service, Bristol Waste, and DigiLocal, Bristol24/7 has been supporting the project to help bridge the city’s digital divide.

Charities and organisations across the city have been supported by the project, which has seen more than 800 laptops already donated and redistributed.

Those helped include IMPACT Bristol, which works with refugees and non-EU migrants connect with their communities, North Bristol Advice Centre, an independent community advice and support organisation based in Lockleaze, and Bristol Somali Resource Centre in Barton Hill, which has helped to distribute the technology.

Parson Street Primary School in Bedminster, City Academy Bristol in Redfield have also received laptops to help children access digital teaching.

The House of Praise in Easton has received laptops to distribute. None of the laptops went to the church, instead going to children who need technology to do their schoolwork.

“This for me has highlighted the gap of those who have and those who don’t, says Raymond Veira, Bishop and regional overseer of the church.

“Until now we have supported the community via food banks and delivery of cooked meals to those in need and we support a number of agencies financially.

“But this shows me how much more is needed. The government must ensure that our children have access to affordable IT equipment.”

The church has retributed 200 laptops donated to Laptops for Bristol in two months.

DigiLocal is working with with community groups to distribute the laptops. Photo: DigiLocal

The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Servce (CAMHS) in Bristol have also received a donation.

Through the project, learning disability nurse Max Boother was able to donate two laptops to a family he supports.“I work with children with severe learning disabilities and their families, one of these families mentioned they did not have access to any IT equipment as the young person I was working with had broken their only laptop,” says Max.

“Young people with learning disabilities understandably require a lot of support, supervision and attention to keep them safe and engaged in activities, so DigiLocal providing equipment means that siblings can benefit from the educational and social aspects of school and not fall behind their peers.”

Max adds that more needs to be done to bridge the digital divide and combat digital poverty.

“Access to the internet and IT equipment is a right and not a luxury,” says Max. “We are one of the richest countries in the world and it’s absolutely appalling that we intentionally don’t provide these systems for people.

“Organisations like DigiLocal should not have to exist, but I’m really glad they do, they provide a massive amount of support in such a simple way.”

Almost 900 laptops have been donated already. Photo: DigiLocal

Can I donate to Laptops For Bristol?
DigiLocal can accept any working laptop with a power cable that is in good condition, except Apple laptops such as Macbook Pro. The project doesn’t include desktops, tablets, or any other items.

Where can I donate?
Take your old laptop and power cable, in a sealed plastic bag, to your nearest Avon Fire & Rescue Station. You can find all the information you need to submit with your laptop at: bit.ly/LaptopsForBristol

What happens to my laptop?
Clean your laptop with alcohol gel and place it in a bag before donating.

Complete a donation form, officially handing over possession of the laptop. Your details will not be used for any other purposes. Your laptop will be cleaned at every stage to ensure the safe distribution.

DigiLocal will wipe all data from the laptop. Make sure you have backed up and kept any information you want before you donate.

The team will install a new operating system and software packages so your laptop will be ready for a new user.

The laptops are distributed via trusted partners including Bristol City Council and IntoUniversity.

How do I find out more?
Visit bit.ly/LaptopsForBristol for more information. Share your donation on social media using #GiveNTech. Sign up to Better Bristol to get regular updates at my.bristol247.com/join

Main photo: DigiLocal

Read more: Laptops for Bristol: donate your old laptops