The Fernhurst Centre’s village internet hub is appealing for donations of any unwanted laptops, mobile phones or IT equipment it can send to a charity set up to support families living in a group of villages in Malawi.

Laura Plant (pictured), who grew up near Fernhurst, contacted the centre on behalf of Sparkle Malawi, after making a working visit in 2015 to one of the village primary schools that is supported both financially and through a mentoring scheme by the charity and seeing at first hand the good work it is doing.

The charity has also recently installed solar panels in the community centre, one of the only sources of power in this remote area.

“Sparkle is collecting laptops and mobile phones to use in teaching the community additional skills,” she said.

“It will and enable the children to learn the new technology they lack access to, and to aspire to jobs beyond the traditional mud brick making and farming.

“By donating unwanted equipment in this way, people can make a real difference to these children’s lives at no cost to themselves and with the added bonus of sparing the environment another piece of discarded IT equipment.”

Sparkle is also helping Malawi families become self sufficient by providing them with other money-making skills.

One programme is to teach tailoring skills and loan families a sewing machine.

The centre would welcome donations of unwanted sewing machines – both electric and non-electric models.

Gillian Kisch, a Dunsfold resident who recently attended a course at the centre, has donated her 1936 hand-operated Singer sewing machine (see right).

Donated laptops and mobile phones must be functioning and equipped with the charger.

All personal data will be wiped by industry approved company, SIMS Recycling Solutions. The laptops will then be loaded with up-to-date software donated by Microsoft and sent in a container to Malawi in August.

*The cut off date for donations of laptops, mobiles and sewing machines is Thursday, June 30. To contact the Fernhurst Centre, please email [email protected] or call (01428) 641931.

People can also call the centre’s recycling manager on (01428) 642580. For further information go to: www.fernhurstcentre.org.uk or find them on Facebook.