On Friday we have a unique event happening at Bishop Luffa School – a new organisation to help schools is being officially launched at 10.30am in the Bartlett Hall.
The charity is called Business2Schools and its purpose is to ensure that businesses send all of their old furniture and IT equipment to schools, so that nothing ends up in landfill.
The guest of honour at the launch will be the Schools Minister, Nick Gibb MP. Chichester MP Gillian Keegan will also be attending the launch, along with representatives from the businesses who are supporting the project and local Head Teachers and Business Managers.
The charity has been set up by Lindsey Parslow, who has children at Bishop Luffa. Lindsey works in London and was horrified by the amount of high quality furniture and IT equipment that was being sent to landfill sites instead of being recycled. Lindsey now has a register of companies that have pledged to send their unwanted equipment to schools. Her charity provides the connections to the schools themselves and helps to organise delivery.
Bishop Luffa School has been the pilot school for the project. We have been receiving a steady supply of furniture and IT equipment for the last year. This has allowed us to replace desks and chairs across the school with items that cost thousands of pounds new. One frustration for all of us, staff and students alike, is how slow school computers can be. Thanks to Business 2 Schools, we will be able to replace every computer in the building with a higher specification alternative.
The project has also provided opportunities for our students to gain work experience. A team of Sixth Formers have helped to set up the website, manage the inventory and even designed the Business2Schools logo. When a company donates its equipment to a school, it begins a relationship that brings many other benefits.
In Worship sessions we will be discussing our important role as ‘stewards of the earth’. This scheme will have a positive impact on the environment and on our students. I hope that you will all support the scheme by publicising it, and through your prayers.
If you know of any schools or businesses that would like to be involved, please contact me through head@bishopluffa.org.uk.
Austen Hindman, Head Teacher