Sigma Connected donates IT equipment to support West Midlands charity

Sigma Connected, which provides contact centre services across the utilities, retail, telecommunications and financial services sectors, has donated 20 laptops they no longer use to The Refugee & Migrant Centre charity.

The kind-hearted IT donation, which also includes new replacement hard drives which have been paid for through Sigma Connected’s Community Foundation, will give the charity much-needed IT equipment and help their clients find jobs and further their education prospects through online training courses. Two of the laptops will also be used by the charity for administration purposes. 

Peter Hopgood-Gravett, Director of Compliance, Risk and Audit at Sigma Connected said: “The volunteers at the Refugee & Migrant Centre do an incredible amount of often unseen work to support their clients across the region. I have known them for over three years now and their compassion and empathy is unbelievable. 

“Through our Community Foundation we have supported the charity in previous years with financial and even office furniture donations, but being able to donate useful IT equipment is something totally different. It’s a real gamechanger as it will help not only their working environment, but will also keep their clients connected, help with training and development and enhance their job searches.

“We are blown away by the work the charity does, so we’re delighted to be helping a great cause again and to send these laptops, which otherwise would have been retired and gone to landfill, to a good home. The charity is always looking for different kinds of support so I’d urge other businesses in the region, if they too feel inspired, to get in touch if they think they can help.”

Steven Bayliss, Regional Employment, Training and Education Manager at the charity added: "The ongoing support from Peter and his colleague at Sigma Connected is superb and I’d like to give a huge thank you to everyone again. The new laptops have come at a perfect time as we are just starting a new project in the Black Country to help improve digital skills. They really will make a big difference in so many ways both for our volunteers, but also for our clients who need support as they look to improve their lives, secure employment, and earn money for their families.”

Last September, Sigma Connected also donated 30 old laptops to Blackburn House, a Liverpool-based women’s support charity. The laptops have helped the charity’s clients undertaking online education courses and re-connect them into society. Due to this success we wanted to roll it out even further. 

Stuart King, Senior Logistics Manager said: “We very much hope to send more laptops as we replace old ones over the coming months and years, and knowing they are being used to benefit those who need help is very humbling.”

The Refugee & Migrant Centre offers a wide range of support to people across the West Midlands, including asylum seekers, refugees, EU migrants, undocumented people and those with uncertain immigration status often escaping war. 

The charity is operated by 110 staff and over 50 volunteers who speak over 45 languages. They have supported tens of thousands of individuals and families since its creation in 1999. Beneficiaries have come from across 148 different nationalities. Their website is available through rmcentre.org.uk.