Wiltshire Digital Drive has already received nearly 500 digital device pledges thanks to BBC Radio Wiltshire and organisations across the county.

Wiltshire Digital Drive is a charity which donates laptops and digital devices to low-income families to bridge the digital divide.

Since forming in October last year, it has received exposure from the BBC Radio Wiltshire which led to 100 donation pledges in a single day.

Co-director of Wiltshire Digital Drive, Natalie Sherman, thanked the radio station saying it has been a great advocate of Wiltshire Digital Drive’s work.

Ms Sherman said: “Keiran Thomas, Priority IT MD and the Priority IT team and ourselves managed to get a lot of support in the Make a Difference campaign, which they started in the first lockdown.

“The BBC were shouting out as many good news stories and good news projects as they could and we were lucky that we were one of those they chose to support.”

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Ms Sherman said Wiltshire Digital Drive has now received as many pledges as it has requests for devices but it is still going through emails and voicemails checking for new requests.

BBC Radio Wiltshire presenter, Marie Lennon said: "I am delighted at having this partnership with the excellent team at Wiltshire Digital Drive.

"On our programme we’ve talked a lot about the digital divide and the risks of Wiltshire children falling behind in education, through no fault of their own.

"This is allowing individuals and Wiltshire’s communities to step in and help tackle the issue, one laptop at a time.

"Our listeners have really embraced the idea and the kindness they’ve shown has been so inspiring.

"This will make a massive difference to so many families and I’m personally very proud to be supporting the project."

To apply to Wiltshire Digital Drive for a laptop or for more info visit https://www.wiltshiredigitaldrive.org/apply/ or you can drop off your unwanted machines at the Priority IT offices in Westbury Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.

The charity has set up a crowdfunding page to help Priority IT continue to wipe and safely refurbish the donated machines, and so far the page has received £7,545 towards its £10,000 goal.

Ms Sherman said the next goal is to reach out to larger organisations as they could have more laptops to offer as they replace kit.

If you have any queries for the charity or for more information, you can call 01225 636000 or email info@wiltshiredigitaldrive.org.

The charity is also due to start accepting mobile phones, not necessarily to gift but to exchange them for cash and use the money to buy parts to refurbish the laptops.