A BANK has donated 14 MacBook Air laptops to Gladstone Primary School in Barry.

Hodge, in Cardiff, offers surplus IT equipment to local schools as part of its continuous IT improvement policy.

The MacBook Air laptops will be distributed throughout the Year Five and Six classrooms at the school to enhance the existing provision for the Digital Competence Framework in line with Curriculum for Wales 2022.

Pupils at the school said they are “really excited” and “so grateful” for the MacBooks.

Support analyst engineer at Hodge, Jason Aspinall, presented children at Glastone Primary School with the 14 laptops.

He said: “I love the fact our IT equipment gets a second lease of life and serves such a fantastic purpose.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if in a few years’ time some of these pupils will be walking through Hodge’s doors and I’ll be setting up laptops for them once again.”

Hodge has been providing surplus IT equipment to local schools since 2020, something chief executive Dave Landen believes will benefit not only the schools but also Hodge staff and the wider community.

Mr Landen said: “The way children learn has changed so much, particularly since COVID and computer skills are more important than ever and so anything we can do to help the next generation is hugely important.

“By passing on our IT equipment to local schools, we both avoid creating unnecessary waste while also supporting schools in providing essential IT education.

“Hodge is committed to its environmental, social and governance programme and aims to use its position to improve the communities we operate in.”