We are extremely grateful to local funders and supporters who have understood the situation created by the coronavirus pandemic and so quickly leapt to our aid, with crucial donations for laptop computers.

The need for good ventilation and social distancing has made our training room almost obsolete. With windows that don’t open and fixed desktop computers making social distancing impossible we need to wait for the situation to improve locally and national restrictions to ease before we can make full use of the centre. Yet, as the pandemic persists and everyone continues to learn or work remotely our ICT needs have just kept growing.

But in January 2021, the Benevolence Masonic Lodge, Sherborne came to our aid and funded three new laptops for our learning programme which will help keep our learners learning throughout these challenging times.

Earlier, during the first lockdown we were fortunate to access funding from Dorset Community Foundation for chromebooks and to improve the wi-fi access in the centre. Then, thanks to our very own ‘Fairy Godmother’ (you know who you are), we were able to buy another small set of chromebooks and also a charging cabinet. The generosity of these funders means we are much better able to meet the local need.  

And when it comes to IT, no thank you list would be complete without a mention of the Sherborne Area Schools’ Trust ICT department. The team based at the Gryphon School not only help us to set up and manage our computer network and wi-fi but have also been key to helping us with software, setting up our online learning classrooms. 

A huge thank you to all those who have helped our learners continue to work and learn through these difficult times. You are helping them achieve qualifications they didn’t ever think they would gain and this is opening doors for them.