Team Laptop, the initiative set up by Jacqui Portway, Andrew Green and Rebecca Noake, to ensure that every child has an opportunity to learn during the pandemic, is already making an impact.

Laptops have been gratefully received by families whose children need support, and are still being collected for re-use.

The scheme has also attracted a wider reach. A song called Give A Laptop Away by Saffron Walden musician Paul Wood is being shared online. Paul, who is a singer songwriter and professional guitar teacher, said he wanted to support the cause and adapted a song for them to use.

Author Jan Lillefjære from Norway is also supporting Team Laptop. Jan, who has published four books for children as a hobby, is currently in Japan, covering the Olympic Games being held in the summer and learned about the scheme by reading a Saffron Walden Reporter article online.

Jan will gift copies of one of the books to Team Laptop to distribute to children who are receiving a helping hand.

Jacqui Portway said she thanked the community for their support. The public are being asked to donate laptops which are checked, wiped, sanitised and delivered or collected while observing social distancing.

One of the latest recipients – an eight year old girl – said Team Laptop was like “a fairy godmother” after receiving a laptop to replace her own which had become faulty then failed completely. The mum spotted a Facebook post, contacted Jacqui, and after a couple of messages were exchanged, by 8pm that night Jacqui was on their doorstep with a laptop. The mum said they were “blown away” by the kindness of the situation, and her child was able to go back to learning, with Zoom school calls and doing music lessons online. “We can’t thank Jacqui, Andrew and Rebecca at Team Laptop enough for coming to our rescue so quickly.”

If you have a laptop to donate, please contact Jacqui on 07931 534599 or email j.portway1@ntlworld.com