Building contractor donates tablets to schools

A building contractor has handed 50 new tablets to schools in Shropshire, Mid Wales and Cheshire to ensure that children without access to quality technology can learn at home during lockdown.

Pave Aways has given 10 Samsung Galaxy tablets each to Newtown and Welshpool High Schools in Mid Wales, the Telford Langley School, Shrewsbury Academy and Blacon High School in Chester in an £11,500 gesture to support the communities where it works. The tablets, equipped with robust covers, have been distributed by the schools to young people most in need so they can continue their education at home. 

A recent survey by the Sutton Trust¹ revealed a “digital divide” between children being forced to study at home with 35% of low income families lacking sufficient access to devices for quality learning, compared to 11% of middle income families.

The building firm has a long association of delivering buildings for the education sector and Managing Director Steven Owen said the idea for the donation had come from staff home schooling their own children. 

“We realised that studying at home during lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic may be hard for some young people if they don’t have the access to the quality technology they need and this could have a long-term effect on their future. We’d already started the roll out when the Sutton Trust report came out so that reinforced our belief that this was a positive thing to do.

“Two of our key priorities at Pave Aways are putting something back into the communities where we work and supporting young people, so our donation underlines this. We identified schools based on the percentage of free school meals received and they have been genuinely grateful for our support.” 

Blacon Head Teacher Rachel Hudson said: “We are delighted to have received 10 tablets from Pave Aways, which will be used by students to support their learning at home. They will make such a difference to students who often have to share devices within the family. We are incredibly grateful for this donation and for the professional way in which they are building our current extension at school.”

Pave Aways is currently building a £2.1m two-storey extension at Blacon High School and started work this week on an £8.4m contract to deliver new school facilities in north Shrewsbury.

It also won the award for Education and Training at last year’s Shropshire Chamber Business Award for its commitment to providing opportunities in construction for young people. 

¹ https://www.suttontrust.com/news-opinion/all-news-opinion/poorer-pupils-struggling-most-in-second-period-of-school-closures-according-to-latest-sutton-trust-research/

About Pave Aways

Pave Aways is a leading building contractor with more than 47 years’ experience of construction excellence in Shropshire, Mid and North Wales and the wider Midlands. It was named Company of the Year at the 2019 Shropshire Chamber Business Awards and won the Education and Training award in 2020.

It works on a wide variety of developments from residential schemes to multi-million pound new build and refurbishment projects across a wide range of sectors. 

Pave Aways’ clients (to name but a few!) include health boards and hospitals in Shropshire and Wales, the Welsh Assembly, local authorities including Shropshire Council, Telford & Wrekin Council and Wrexham Borough Council, housing trusts, higher education establishments such as Harper Adams University and the University of Wolverhampton, independent schools including Shrewsbury School, Concord College and Wrekin College, and manufacturers like Airbus.

Pave Aways prides itself on offering a local solution, combined with exemplary service and the highest standard of construction. Creating long-term relationships with our clients is the key to our on-going success.

For more information, go to www.paveaways.co.uk or contact 01691 682 111

Pictured - Pave Aways’ Managing Director Steven Owen handing over tablets at Blacon School in Chester to students and Head Teacher Rachel Hudson.