Massive fundraising effort across Lancaster district brings in £120k to help kids in need during lockdown

With continuing uncertainty around when schools will reopen, many have switched to online tuition – yet children in low-income households often lack the basic tools needed to take part.

A consortium of education providers across Lancaster and Morecambe, including Lancaster University, Lancaster & Morecambe College, Lancashire Digital Skills Partnership, local schools and Eden Project International, has come together with Lancaster City Council and businesses to develop the Connecting Kids initiative.

The project will see children across the region provided with internet access and digital devices, as well as tailored tuition delivered by up to 300 Lancaster University student mentors, to help ensure they do not fall behind during the school closure period.

University academics are also working to produce activity boxes which will be delivered to hundreds of homes, including fun and educational challenges.

Resource packs of stationary - donated by the university, businesses and through a substantial contribution by high street chain store Wilko - are to be sent to thousands more.

Morecambe Bay Academy principal Victoria Michael, who is co-ordinating efforts for local high schools, said: “Digital poverty means having no access to online education, because there is no device or internet connection in the family home.

"These items are expensive and many local children were sent home with some photocopied work packs and no access to anything else.

“Educationally, those children who are entitled to free school meals achieve far lower outcomes nationally compared to their peers. This pandemic is widening that gap daily as some children still have access to learning and some do not.

“This is why Connecting Kids is so important. Local businesses and Lancaster University have worked together with school leaders to try and solve this problem quickly. We think this will make a real difference to the families involved and enable the students to stay connected with their schools, and each other.”

Among the organisations which made substantial donations to the initiative are the Banks Lyon Memorial Trust, West Lancashire Freemasons, The Learning Foundation working in partnership with the National Grid, Vodafone, EDF, Santander Bank and Lancaster City Council.

Chair of trustees Fiona Gordon, from the Banks Lyon Memorial Trust, said: “The Banks Lyon Memorial Trust arose from a generous gift by Dr Walter Lyon, who was born in Lancaster in 1917 and died in 2003.

"It was his wish for the funds he gave to establish the trust to be used to help young people in Lancaster, Morecambe and district who face barriers to education and training. He wanted to help give them a ‘leg up’ so their prospects of better and more worthwhile employment would be improved.

“One of my fellow trustees is Kirstie Banks Lyon, who is married to one of Walter’s nephews. When agreeing to make a grant to the Connecting Kids project, Kirstie remarked that Walter himself would ‘do cartwheels’ to think how his gift was helping exactly the people in our local community who he himself would have helped during his lifetime.”

Meanwhile, Vodafone is providing more than 350 Unlimited Data SIMs so pupils can easily access the internet.

Helen Lamprell, General Counsel and External Affairs Director, Vodafone UK, said: “The pandemic has impacted everyone in the UK but is hitting the most vulnerable in our society the hardest.

"We recognise that technology can play a huge part in making peoples’ lives easier. I’m really pleased that our connectivity will enable children across Lancashire to continue to access their education.”

EDF said it hoped supporting the project also provides young people with the opportunity to access online educational events the company is involved in and promotes careers in engineering.

Mark Lees, station director at EDF’s Heysham 2 power station, said: “We are delighted to be part of this fantastic, innovative project to support local pupils who don’t have access to technology to stay connected to their school during this difficult time.

“EDF already has strong partnerships with Cheltenham and Edinburgh Science Festivals and as they are now ‘virtual’ it will be a great opportunity for everyone involved in this project to interact with the festival’s amazing presenters.”

Giles Kay, station director at Heysham 1 power station, added: “Who knows where this could lead to, hopefully from our side it could encourage the next generation of engineers and scientists.”

The project would not have been possible were it not for the connections made by Eden Project International as part of its work on the “Morecambe Bay Curriculum” - a unique educational programme for learners from the ages of 0 to 25.

"The Eden team has also been heavily involved in fundraising, primarily through a sponsored virtual cycle ride between its Cornwall headquarters and proposed new site in Morecambe.

In addition to the technology, many pupils now attempting to learn from home also require extra support. Lancaster University has stepped in to offer tuition through its army of student mentors.

Prof Dame Sue Black, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Engagement, said: “Lancaster University is an anchor institution for our region which brings with it responsibilities.

"I would like to thank our staff and partners who have worked tirelessly to make this happen in such a short space of time. However, perhaps most thanks should go to our amazing student mentors who perfectly embody the values of our university and we are so proud they are able to support this vital work, protecting the right of all children to access an education.

“This project also supports the government’s aim to provide technology to underprivileged young people. As a pilot, our leadership team will monitor the programme, capturing key insights in the hope that this scheme could be replicated elsewhere.”