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Computers for Cambs students in COVID isolation

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You're on the official GoFundMe page for the Digital Drive and Cambs Youth Panel. Your donations here will go to the immediate help and assistance of young people who need access to online learning. We attack inequality by providing quality computers that we have received from businesses and private individuals - we repair and upgrade every machine to ensure that it is ready for purpose. Your donation will help us to provide more computer - both new and renewed - buy tools, components and vital accessories. Every donation counts.


We have a goal of providing 4700 computers. We have just broken through the 800 number and we have been pledged enough to computers to see us through 1000 devices - providing we get the necessary support through this channel. Your donation makes all the difference.

In addition to repairing and recycling equipment we are providing new computers where they are needed. Our not for profit agreement with Raspberry Pi means that we can get a brand new computer to a child for just £88.

Thank you for visiting this site - thank you for your support - you are making the difference and we cannot do this without you!

- Phil Priestley




So we made it on the daily briefing on COVID-19 from Downing Street yesterday (!!) [12th April 2020]

Quite amazing  - and we're all very proud - but we have so much more to do. We have distributed 95 computers now to families and young people across our region, and that's wonderful - but we need to do so much more.

Here are some facts and statistics for your:

More than 400 families have applied for our help and this includes more than 900 children and young people who don't have the necessary tools to keep learning through the COVID-19 crisis.

We've been able to distribute 95 machines as some form of relief to the most in need - but 51% of applicants have no computer in their household, accessing the internet only through phones, consoles and smart TVs.

Of the remaining 49% the average is one computer per household sharing between three sibling and one or two adults. This is a chronic shortage of hardware.

We must do more.

If you donate £15 it will pay for the equivalent of one child making it to online school for one week. £3 sends a child to school for the day.

If you can afford to, please do make a contribution - knowing that every penny will be spent on computer hardware getting more children and young people learning.

You can find out more about the Cambs Youth Panel by visiting our website: www.cambsyouthpanel.co.uk




***UPDATE***

In the first wave of computers being distributed the Cambs Youth Panel sent out 29 computers to vulnerable families to support COVID-19 relief, ensuring that their children could stay at home and school online.

This was funded by the group out of their own resources - £5,000.

We are currently applying to another local charitable fund to match that investment with another £5,000 trench of purchasing. This will be phase 2 of our activity.

Our crowdfunder (which you are visiting here today) has (at the time of writing) £770 in it. We have also had a pledge of financial assistance from Caritas, at the Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia - for £2500. So there is £3270 there.

WE NEED TO RAISE ANOTHER £1730 to meet our overall goal of £5,000 once again.

With £10,000 of bulk purchasing power HP are willing to do us a deal that will see us gain an extra 6 computers **free** - and that will be 6 more families help.

I don't quite know how to explain how important it is that we help every single family that we can manage to help. Every single family in the COVID-19 crisis deserves help and we are passionate about helping them.

To the same extent every single £1 donation counts. If you can afford £1 we will be incredibly grateful to you. 



Who are we?

We are a group of young people aged 13-18 from all around Cambridgeshire. Our members speak to some of the most influential leaders in our region. This includes working with local councils (district, city and parish councils) as well as members of parliament. We give advice and guidance on all matters that affect young people to the key individuals who make the important decisions in our region. 

Why are we fundraising?

We have purchased 29 Google Chromebooks to support young people in our region who don't have access to adequate learning platforms while they are isolated at home for an indeterminate amount of time. We will distribute these machines on loan, for free and for the duration of the crisis, on the basis of need.

If you donate to our cause you will help us to replenish the funds that we had saved for other purposes - but we have used in these circumstances of acute crisis. We have already spent £5,000.

You will also help us to fund another round of Chromebook purchases - because no young person in our region (Cambridgeshire) should go without long term education because of the COVID-19 crisis. 

Social Media

You can contact us through any of our social media, listed below.
Website: CambsYouthPanel.co.uk 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cambsyouthpanel
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cambsyouthpanel
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Donations 

  • Anonymous
    • £250 
    • 3 yrs
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Fundraising team: Cambs Youth Panel (2)

Phil Priestley
Organizer
Raised £2,370 from 29 donations
Ed Ouzman
Team member
This team raised £15,485 from 146 other donations.

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