Charity group shuts up shop with last donation of £7,500 funding schools needing laptops

Knowing that many vulnerable pupils are continuing to struggle with lessons from home during the third lockdown, Welwyn Round Table donated the laptops for Monk's Walk and Stanborough Schools with the help of Curry's in Stevenage.

Stewart Muir managed to stretch the £7,500 into 29 laptops as he works at the computer store and felt during his time at the charity that when you support local giving you see it making a difference.

The Welwyn Round Table, founded in 1965 for 18 to 45-year-olds, has seen its numbers dwindle in recent years as men-only groups have seemed "a bit old hat" according to Stewart.

"We tried to keep it going in Welwyn, " he said. "But we handed over the sleigh [which had had Stewart as Father Christmas for 25 years] this year to the Welwyn festival group.

"We tried to get new members but just can't. I don't know exactly why. It's difficult to say but maybe people's lives are busier now and they think this rather old hat, a gentlemen's charity."

Welwyn Round Table (Image: Supplied by Stuart Muir)

There used to be a women's chapter but that too closed as it failed to attract younger members - as Stewart, in his 50s, reflects he is also too old to stay in the group.

"We've done loads and worked hard. We've averaged £10,000 on average a year for local charities."

This group's activities have ranged from cycle rides from London to France, parachute jumps and carrying out DIY SOS on a local home.

Welwyn Round Table (Image: Stuart Muir)

"We stopped delivering food parcels because it became too problematic with data protection and EU regulations. We used to put 350 parcels through Christmas but it's better to pay for meals on wheels."

Stewart said he loved being a part of this group, which has been "such an important" part of his life. "You can do incredible things and raise money. I got a lot from it."

Welwyn Round Table (Image: Supplied by Stuart Muir)

Merry John, Stanborough headteacher said: "The donation of 19 laptop computers will make an enormous difference in our ability to deliver a full and enriching curriculum to all our students.

"All Stanborough students are receiving live online lessons with teachers delivering these lessons from both home and from school.

"Laptop availability is therefore essential so that students can access these lessons and engage with both their teachers and their peers.

"With this donation, we can ensure that all students who need a laptop have one, and are able to continue their learning at home.

"We have had a large number of positive comments from both students and parents about the learning provision the school has been able to put in place at very short notice, with live lessons starting on the first day of the lockdown.

"We are therefore very grateful for the donation as it enables all of our students to achieve in these challenging circumstances."

Similarly, Monk's Walk also expressed through its deputy headteacher Matt Grinyer how grateful the secondary school is to the charity.

He said: "We are extremely grateful to the Welwyn Round Table for their incredibly generous donation of £3,500 for additional laptops which can be loaned out to our Post-16 students.

"These laptops will make a huge difference to our students currently accessing online learning at home and will be a really valuable resource that we can use with future year groups."

A previous report into laptops in schools in Hertfordshire by the WHT found that 5,000 laptops have been ordered by the county council but around half, 2,641, have been delivered by the department for education.

The real figure may be even higher as this represents orders from the county council and not academies. Free school meals have also been seen as one way of calculating those who need free laptops, which is just shy of 25,000 pupils in Herts.