Arsenal in the Community is donating 250 laptops to Islington school children to combat the growing issue of digital poverty.

The digital exclusion of some of the UK’s most vulnerable youngsters during the coronavirus pandemic has not only impacted their academic development, but also the mental health of those unable to keep in contact with friends and family.

Arsenal’s community scheme has partnered with Intel and Computer Disposals Limited to provide the reconditioned laptops, which will be pre-loaded with Windows 10 and software to ensure immediate access to vital home learning resources.

Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz said: “While digital poverty might not be obvious at first, the lack of a computer and online access at home can have profound consequences for young people, locking them out of learning experiences, hampering educational attainment and harming their future prospects.”