Lancaster dad buys first tablets for schoolchildren after launching fundraising initiative

A Lancaster dad who launched a campaign to help raise money to provide schoolchildren in need with laptops and tablets has already helped his first school out.
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As we reported last month, Shaun Gash launched a fundraising initiative to help provide laptops or tablets for youngsters in need during lockdown.

And today, Friday, he was able to present his first purchases to a school in Lancaster. Shaun bought six Amazon Fire HD 8 devices for Bowerham Primary School.

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These are far cheaper than iPads, which means that for every £10,000 he raises, he could buy 120 Amazon devices compared with just 33 iPads.

Shaun Gash delivers the tablets to Bowerham Primary School.Shaun Gash delivers the tablets to Bowerham Primary School.
Shaun Gash delivers the tablets to Bowerham Primary School.

Shaun set up a fundraising page online for people to donate to the cause, and even wrote to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos for support through the donation of tablets.

Shaun said: "With the situation in the UK on lockdown and schools closed with home learning in place, this has put enormous pressure on schools to provide laptops/tablets for their pupils to continue on their learning pathway.

"It’s important that education is still available for all children and young people through technology so they can access on line resources, but schools have limited numbers of laptops to loan out to each pupil, and limited funds to purchase more and government allocation has been cut to save stock!

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"I’m on a mission to support schools and children and young persons education by trying to raise as much funds as possible to buy more equipment.

"Today I was privileged to hand over the first six Amazon Fire HD 8 devices to Mrs Jo Banks, headteacher at Bowerham Primary School.

"Geraldine Pollock, who is a friend and also works at the school, had contacted me when she saw my campaign and highlighted the fact that Amazon devices are better than the iPad they are currently using as the children find them easier to use, and they don’t have the same restrictions as the iPads with updating and accessing the platforms needed for effective learning."

Geraldine said: "Thank you so much for the donation and to everyone who has donated to your amazing campaign. This will mean so much to six families who have no access to remote learning due to lack of a digital device.

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"These devices will be given to our families in need of support and will assist their learning and keep them in contact with the school and their class."

Mrs Banks was also over the moon with the donations and wanted to express how much support the tablets will provide to six families from Bowerham Primary School to help the children access all the learning platforms from home during these difficult times.

Shaun added his thanks to Hollister Incorporated, M J Catterall Ltd, Banks Lyon Jewellers and Tyson Fury Official Merchandise (Goldstar) for their kind donations so far.

You can still donate to the cause online here.

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