During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown Rotary clubs supported home-schooling. Here are 5 examples of ‘on the ground action’ within Yorkshire of Rotary Clubs providing support for families as children learnt from home.
Malton & Norton Rotary
Malton and Norton Rotary worked in partnership with Computer FX to donate laptops to the following schools:
Malton Community Primary School
Settrington All Saints' Church of England Primary School
St. Mary's Primary School
Amotherby Community Primary School
Leavening Community Primary School
Luttons Community Primary School
A representative range of photos from the grateful schools and their families
Malton and Norton Rotary worked in partnership with Computer FX
Find out more about Malton and Norton Rotary:
Rotary Club of Malton & Norton - welcome. (rotary-ribi.org)
Malton & Norton Rotary Club | Facebook
Knaresborough Rotary
Many children struggled with their home schooling. Rotary in Knaresborough donated laptops to King James’s School, Boroughbridge High School and Nidderdale High School.
The Headteacher at Nidderdale High School, Ms K Jordan, said “We are very grateful to the Knaresborough Rotarians for the laptops. We are to be able to get these much-needed resources to our students who are, at the moment, trying to complete school work at home on mobile phones, or sharing laptops with other siblings and family members”.
The pandemic has had an enormous impact on education. Traditional face to face classroom teaching has been replaced by online learning. But not everyone has access to the internet, schools are struggling to provide enough tablets and laptops for pupil’s home working. A local teacher wrote, “Some of our most disadvantaged families cannot afford to provide technology for their children and therefore these students are missing out on their online learning, not accessing their lessons and falling further behind their peers”.
Nidderdale High School Assistant Head, Suzanne Witherwick, with one of the laptops donated by Knaresborough Rotary
Find out more about Knaresborough Rotary:
Rotary Knaresborough - welcome. (rotary-ribi.org)
The Rotary Club of Knaresborough | Facebook
Another great example of the 3 York based Rotary clubs working collaboratively
The three Rotary Clubs in York often work together when local community needs demand a co-ordinated response, and the initiative to help local schools with purchasing Chromebook laptops for disadvantaged students is an example.
In June 2020 York Rotary had donated funds for five laptops to York High School, in response to an urgent appeal.
The third lockdown in January 2021 generated by the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the York Rotary Youth Service Team to ask Ambassadors to contact their secondary school links to identify any ensuing problems.
An urgent need was identified for Chromebooks to support home learning for disadvantaged students in several local schools.
We acted quickly and sincere thanks are due to all the Ambassadors who became a vital link between the schools and Treasurers who paid the money directly to the schools. Purchasing was done by the schools, so that specifications matched their own requirements and specialist bulk purchasing applied.
Over 40 Chromebooks were funded by the three Rotary Clubs, supporting these schools:
York Rotary: York High School, Fulford School
York Ainsty Rotary: Vale of York Academy, Huntington School
York Vikings Rotary: The Danesgate Community, York College
Funds raised by the three Rotary Clubs came from individual donations, members' donations to a "Donate my Lunch" programme, and from clubs' Charity Fund reserves.
York Rotarians were pleased to support disadvantaged children whose education was suffering due to the pandemic lockdown and the schools having to rely on remote / home learning.
It's another example of Rotary working in the Community.
Find out more about the York Rotary clubs:
Rotary York Ainsty - welcome. (rotary-ribi.org)
York Vikings Rotary | Facebook
Settle Rotary
Settle Rotary supplied £4600 to our local schools to support children who have problems accessing online teaching during the lockdown.
The funds were given to Settle College as well as Settle, Kirkby Malhamdale, Hellifield, Long Preston, Austwick and Giggleswick Primary Schools.
The money came from the D B Hyslop fund which has originally set up by the Club in memory of Dr David Hyslop, a well-known local doctor.
Find out more about Settle Rotary: