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Reid Kerr college and partners launch new IT centre
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Reid Kerr College has been the recipient of a Business Award presented by Leonard Cheshire and as a result of this achievement and its continued relationship with Leonard Cheshire, (the UK's largest charity which provides support to disabled people), the College has been selected to host a Leonard Cheshire Discover IT centre.
Discover IT is a joint initiative between Leonard Cheshire and Microsoft UK and aims to empower disabled people through technology so that they can take greater control of their lives. With a donation of software and hardware from Microsoft and a contribution of £25,000 for specialist software from Leonard Cheshire, Reid Kerr will be the second centre in Scotland and the 8th to be launched in the UK.
All three organisations came together recently to launch the Discover IT centre at Reid Kerr. Representatives from Microsoft UK, Leonard Cheshire and Reid Kerr attended the launch. Jim Sheridan, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North conducted the official opening ceremony.
Stephen Neale, Regional Director for Leonard Cheshire in Scotland said: “We’re delighted that Reid Kerr is hosting the second Discover IT facility in Scotland. The centre will provide local disabled people with access to computers on their own terms to do fun, practical things. It’s a great resource through which disabled people can develop essential life skills to help achieve their personal and professional goals.”
Beth Worrall, Community Engagement Manager at Microsoft commented, "Microsoft's ongoing partnership with Leonard Cheshire aims to help bring the benefits of IT to disabled people and we're delighted to be involved in launching the eighth 'Discover IT' centre. Through the technology programs that this centre will provide, disabled people in this community will have the chance to embrace a lot of new opportunities."
The aim of the Discover IT Centres is to create a network of facilities across the UK and develop a national programme that really makes a difference to the lives of disabled people.
Local student Bobby Lauder is excited about using the centre. He commented, “I love writing poems and short stories and recently took a creative writing class – my poems are better than my short stories. I will be coming to the Discover IT centre about once a week and am looking forward to using the computers to continue with my creative writing and using the great facilities to improve my writing skills.”
Audrey Cumberford, assistant principal at Reid Kerr College said, “the Discover IT Centre provides a valuable resource for all students studying at Reid Kerr College, but in particular provides an opportunity for disabled students and people from our local community to access a wide range of the latest in assistive and alternative IT equipment and technology. The College is delighted to be involved in this initiative in partnership with Leonard Cheshire and Microsoft.”
MP Jim Sheridan announced the official opening of the ceremony and added, “I am delighted that this investment is going ahead which will be a major advantage to disabled people many of whom live in my constituency. But there is no doubt in my mind that Reid Kerr would not have been awarded this facility if it had not been for the tremendous work that had been carried out by all the staff and students at the college in recent years.”
Press Release: Thursday 9 November 2006
