40 laptops donated to Selsey and Sidlesham schools to support home learning during lockdown

Medmerry Primary School, Seal Primary School, Sidlesham Primary School and The Academy, Selsey received the donations from Ferry Farm Community Solar.

Each school was then able to determine which children were best placed to receive them – some have been given to children who had no access to a keyboard based device while learning from home, with others going to families who had children sharing a device.

Ben Cooper, founding director at Ferry Farm Community Solar, said: “The impact of the lockdown on our children’s education will be significant.

“We felt it was very important to help children to access the resources being provided by the schools – given some have had no opportunity to take part in online learning.

“It will also hopefully put them in the best position to return to school when the time is right.

“We hope these devices will be useful in helping to continue to provide support to students during the lockdown and beyond.”

Melanie Strachan, head teacher at Seal Primary School, said: “We are so grateful for this donation and it is wonderful to know how much the local community is behind us. The impact for our children on having access to these Chromebooks will be enormous.”

Dave Lott, head teacher at Medmerry Primary School, said: “This really is a fabulous donation from the Ferry Farm team and will have a big impact on our school, and young people.”

Mike Wood, head teacher at Sidlesham Primary School, said: “Our thanks to Ferry Farm - this donation is absolutely superb and I can’t explain just how much of a difference these laptops will make!”

Tom Garfield, head teacher at The Academy Selsey, said: This is an amazing gesture and one which we are so grateful for. It’s important to recognise the time and energy that the Ferry Farm team have put into this, in order to source and deliver these laptops so quickly in the current situation in order to help our young people to learn.”

Ferry Farm Community Solar has also established a £40,000 crisis fund which is being used to support local people during the outbreak.

Payments have already been made to the local food bank and the local Covid Mutual Aid network.

Applications to the fund are invited and can be made online at www.ferryfarmsolar.co.uk

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