Virgin Media donates devices to help with homeschooling

Virgin Media is stepping up to help families in financial difficulty during the UK’s lockdown. 

The broadband provider will help to make sure that kids have the tools and connectivity that they need to take part in remote learning while schools across the country are closed. Virgin Media has teamed up with the charity Business in the Community to fund and distribute 1,500 laptops to schoolchildren and young adults in the UK who are struggling to learn virtually. Each laptop will come with a 4G dongle that has 25GB of data each month, which is simply plugged in so that users can instantly connect to teachers, educational tools and online classes.

England rugby star Maro Itoje has been calling on businesses to do what they can to support families in need to close the ‘digital divide’ and Virgin Media has answered that call. Maro said: “My ask was simple – step up and be counted. Virgin Media has done just that, acting swiftly to address all points of concern to guarantee children across the UK have access to vital learning during school closures and the company should be congratulated for that. Without the closing of this deficit, the social divide only broadens, making reintegration into the classroom environment near-impossible for the most deprived.”

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Donate your device

As well as partnering with Business in the Community, Virgin Media will soon be accepting donations of second-hand devices from the public. Details will be coming soon so keep an eye out if you have old laptops or tablets that you’d like to be used to help children learn at home.

Since last year, Virgin Media has worked with the Department for Education to provide an extra 20GB of mobile data per month to families who may be struggling. And children can access the Oak National Academy online classes and resources without using any of their mobile data.

Visit Virgin Media to find out more.