Monthly Archives: February 2014
Recycled computers to boost Norwich schools
A city council initiative will see Raspberry Pi computers distributed to Norwich schools. A city council initiative will see Raspberry Pi computers distributed to Norwich schools.
Dan Grimmer dan.grimmer@archant.co.uk Monday, February 24, 2014
7:00 AM
A pioneering project will see hundreds of old council computers refurbished and sold so that tiny machines can be bought to teach computer studies in Norwich’s schools.
Norwich City Council is in the process of replacing some 800 computers at City Hall – a whopping 9.7 tonnes of electronic kit – with a new system.
But the technology will not be wasted, because the council has sent more than 500 of them to a company in Battersea, London, to wipe all the data and refurbish them.
They will then be sold and the money used to buy credit-card sized single-board computers, known as Rapsberry Pi, which the city’s schools will use to get youngsters interested in technology and programming.
A spokeswoman for Norwich City Council said: “The idea is that we will start distributing them to city schools in the new academic year.”
Other equipment, such as keyboards and mice will also be distributed to Norwich’s schools.
And, even before a single Raspberry Pi has been received by a school, the project has been picked as a finalist in a national awards scheme.
The iESE Improvement and Efficiency Awards have been set up to honour public service teams who work behind the scenes to keep much relied on services going in the face of severe financial pressures.
‘They just went so far above and beyond’ – railway workers make dream come true for autistic Norwich schoolboy
Charlie Baker, 8, of Norwich, enjoyed a dream day out thanks to East Coast Trains
Sam Russell Monday, February 24, 2014
6:30 AM
Train-obsessed Charlie Baker was chuffed to bits when railway workers made his dreams come true.
The autistic Norwich eight-year-old is fanatical about East Coast Trains – and is not interested in any other types of locomotive.
His mum Caroline Briscoe, 39, said his laser-focused enthusiasm can make it a nightmare to buy gifts for him.
She decided to write to East Coast Trains for help and was stunned when three parcels of train goodies, including hats, mugs and mousemats, arrived by recorded delivery in time for Christmas.
And after she wrote to thank staff, they went one better and invited Charlie for a dream day out at King’s Cross Station in London to try out their train simulator.
Miss Briscoe, who lives off Old Palace Road, said the gesture was “incredible” and they went to the capital on Saturday.
Carers have their say in DVD made for Wiltshire Council and NHS
11:11am Saturday 22nd February 2014 in News
A FEW of the thousands of unpaid carers in Wiltshire are given a voice in a new film.
Carers’ Voices records the thoughts of different groups of people who may not always go to meetings to make their views known.
The idea is to allow local government and school staff, councillors and NHS personnel a better idea of what unpaid carers face.
In the DVD, six unpaid carers describe the physical and emotional challenges of caring and speak of their hopes and dreams.
A wife talks about looking after her husband with dementia and an 18-year-old carer describes her life. A mother who cares for one child and faces challenges looking after her other children also gives her account.
