Salford-based investment platform AJ Bell has donated 18 laptops and 16 desktop PCs to Manchester’s Brookburn Primary School, helping reduce electronic waste and support the education of local children.
AJ Bell’s technology team received a letter from Brookburn’s 11-year-old Eco-councillor (see attached), asking for any donations to help build the school’s IT suite. Students were previously sharing computers with keys missing and unable to run the educational programmes to help improve their tech learning.
The PCs donated by AJ Bell would normally have been passed onto a firm that specialises in recycling electronics as the materials, such a precious metals, plastics and wiring, can be reused. Instead, the computers were wiped by AJ Bell’s IT team, prepared with the software needed by the school and set up in the IT suite.
Mo Tagari, chief technology officer at AJ Bell, comments:
“When the kids walked into the suite and saw all the computers set up, their faces were beaming. Their eco-council spoke about all the measures the school is taking to improve sustainability and I’m delighted the AJ Bell tech team have been able to contribute with the donated computers. I’m keen to challenge other companies to follow our lead – get in touch with local schools and see how you can help with their eco-schemes through donating technology and promoting STEM education.”
Emily Henderson, deputy head teacher at Brookburn Primary School, comments:
"We are so very grateful to the AJ Bell team for supporting our school community and donating so many laptops and computers. The impact this will have on our pupils really is so significant and we feel very fortunate that such brilliant initiatives exist to work in partnership and create sustainable models for reusing technology within the world of Education. Thank you"
Matt Shurlock, teacher at Brookburn Primary School, comments:
"We now have a fully functioning IT suite with up-to-date devices and software. The team at AJ Bell have been brilliant with our Eco-Councillors, who have relished the chance to be involved in a meaningful programme that will have a positive environmental impact. This is a big step forward for pupils to develop their skills and knowledge in the Computing curriculum. We hope it inspires them to go on to great things in the world of technology."