The University joins forces with local organisations to expand IT distribution efforts
A computer donation project has been expanded to support school pupils and community organisations through lockdown.
°ÄÃŲʿª½±ÀúÊ·¼Ç¼ has teamed up with Midlothian Council and °ÄÃŲʿª½±ÀúÊ·¼Ç¼ Remakery to donate computers and laptops to local schools and community groups, who will then distribute to local families. This will help families with the home-schooling process and allow pupils to accessÌý online learning while schools are closed due to Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
The PC Reuse Project at the University has been repurposing computers and IT equipment since 2015. Since it launched, more than 2,100 computers have been donated to charities and community groups in °ÄÃŲʿª½±ÀúÊ·¼Ç¼ and the wider area.
Working together
Since the beginning of lockdown in the UK in March 2020, an increasing number of families have found themselves without the technology needed to adequately home-school their children. The increased needÌýfor laptops and computers meant that the Project Team at the University ofÌý°ÄÃŲʿª½±ÀúÊ·¼Ç¼ could only partly fulfil a request from Midlothian Council for a supply of laptops to support local school pupils. Fortunately, local organisation, the came to the rescue and donated 30 additional laptops to help fulfil the requests.
The °ÄÃŲʿª½±ÀúÊ·¼Ç¼ Remakery is an environmental social enterprise committed to diverting waste from landfill and promoting a culture of repair and reuse. Donating laptops for free is not usually part of the Remakery’s remit, but the organisation wanted to support this pressing need within the community and stepped in to help.
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The °ÄÃŲʿª½±ÀúÊ·¼Ç¼ Remakery is delighted to be able to provide much needed IT equipment for the Midlothian Council pupils. This is whatÌýour IT Disposal Service for Business is designed for; to create partnerships withÌýpurpose.ÌýWe have worked with the University of °ÄÃŲʿª½±ÀúÊ·¼Ç¼ to ensure that we tackle digital isolation whilst at the same timeÌýpreventing pollution and waste by diverting reusable laptops and valuable materials from landfill.
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As part of this effort, more than 250 schoolchildren and teenagers in low-income families in Midlothian, north-east °ÄÃŲʿª½±ÀúÊ·¼Ç¼, Dalmeny, Kirkliston, Queensferry, Restalrig, Lochend, Craigentinny and Craigmillar will receive IT equipment, as well as some children across the city and the Lothians that have been affected by a crisis and which have no extended family/friend support.
The University’s PC Reuse Team will also supply smaller organisations with items such as tablets and mobile phones in the hope that this will enable them to keep providing important services for local communities.
Donate your old IT kit
The °ÄÃŲʿª½±ÀúÊ·¼Ç¼ Remakery offer a free disposal service of IT equipment from individuals and businesses. They can accept laptops, tablets, iPads, PCs,Ìýsmart phones, cables, chargers, and routers.
The more businesses that do this, the more people the Remakery can support through its great work. They use a US Government Department of Defence approved algorithm to securely wipe any data from donated equipment. For further details on how to donate your IT equipment:
Find out more
°ÄÃŲʿª½±ÀúÊ·¼Ç¼’s PC Reuse Project