More than 200 Thanet families have received free laptops thanks to Ramsgate Football Club and East Kent College.
The giveaway has been part of this summer’s HAF (Holiday Activities and Food) programme, which has been attended by 400 children across two sites at the WW Martin Stadium and Cliftonville Primary School, in what is the busiest month the club has experienced.
The free holiday camp covers a range of activities and provides children with breakfast and lunch at a time when the cost of living is rising and families are feeling the pinch more than ever.
Children have enjoyed arts and crafts workshops, baking, sports, nature trails and “Inflatable Thursday” with bouncy-castles and inflatable obstacle courses. There have been visits from Pie Factory music, football training with first team players Josh Ajayi and Denzelle Olapade and with two weeks remaining on the programme there are still trips to Monkton Nature Reserve and Dover Castle to come.
Sue Marsh of EKC Group said: “We are hoping these laptops will benefit the families and children. Families can use them to support their education and learn new skills.”
Council Leader Ash Ashbee paid a visit to WW Martin Community Stadium to see the programme in action and described the event as “humbling.”
She added: “There are lots of happy children and it is so humbling to see all the things that are going on here.”
Sponsors WW Martin were also in attendance and praised “the effort, the interest and the time put in by the guys that run the club is fantastic,” adding: “The stadium is named after us and it is this sort of thing that gives us the enthusiasm to continue to be part of it.”
Ramsgate Football Club run activity programmes during each school holiday and these are available to people who are entitled to benefit-based school meals.
The HAF programme is generally funded by government and aims to address food poverty, inactivity, isolation and learning loss by children, through activities and the provision of a hot meal and healthy snacks.
Look out for a glut of cheap laptops on Thanet Buy,Sell And Swap
Remember when the Labour Government gave away free laptops to school kids in need, back in 2007? Their parents would arrive at the shop, in their brand new BMWs and Mercedes, to collect said laptop and within an hour it was listed for sale on eBay. Good old Labour looking after tax payers money.
And where/what is your evidence for this?
So true Eric. But what about families that do work and don’t have enough money. I say this as it says only families that get benefit free school meals can use this activity. Other families that parents go without to make sure their kids are feb, what help do they get during holiday times.
It’s meant to say fed not feb. Stupid auto check.
I hope they can afford to run them with the rocketing price of electricity
Why all the negativity?? the football club and the College are giving something back to the community , we should be praising them and the recipients have to prove they are entitled.
Well technically we (as in “we” the taxpayer) are giving something back to the community. The college and football club are only using taxpayer funds to do this as the middlemen.
Given the total cost is likely to exceed around £80k of kit I would be really interest to see the follow up piece of work which shows the quantitative and qualitative benefits realised to giving these away (ie progress in school, adult skills obtained etc).
Research HAF programme. It’s US gov funded. Now ask yourself why would they use this fund overseas? The commies and wokes bringing their indoctrination to the UK by the back door is a high possibility