Students at a Melbourn school struggling to access technology to complete online work have been given a further boost.

Melbourn Village College has been gifted 10 personal computers – complete with monitors, keyboards and mice – as well as a laptop by long-established Fowlmere-based Saker Computer Technology.

Saker owner Tim Jackson made the donation, worth in excess of £2,000, after hearing about the difficulties the school and students were having in ensuring everyone can work remotely.

He said: “It is taken for granted that every child has access to a computer at home, but it isn’t always the case and I feel that all children should have equal learning opportunities. If I could help in a small way, then I was very happy to.”

Tim then further donated 20 wireless adaptors after hearing from deputy principal Niki Smith, herself a specialist Computer Science teacher, about the problems Melbourn was having in sourcing this vital piece of kit.

Ms Smith said: “We are very grateful for the kindness of Mr Jackson. The PCs he has supplied have immediately been lent out to pupils who had been struggling getting access to their online work before this wonderful intervention.

“The kindness of people is circular – we gave away PPE to the NHS and care homes, and then received wonderful donations of IT equipment ourselves!”

Saker’s contribution is in addition to the help the school has received from Meldreth Coronavirus Community Support and the Cambs Youth Panel.

The Cambs Youth Panel worked with Cambridgeshire police to deliver Chromebooks where they were most needed to 29 students across South and East Cambridgeshire as well as Cambridge City.

The Meldreth group of volunteers – chaired by resident and county councillor, Susan van de Ven – has donated rebuilt computers made from second-hand donations to students at the college and elderly villagers as part of their Screenbank initiative.

Royston Rotarians have also raised funds to support the Screenbank project.

For more on MVC go to https://www.melbournvc.org and for more on Saker Computer Technology, based at Butts Business centre go to www.sakernet.com.