ORCHID SUPPORTS PROJECT UGANDA - 3/6/2009

Orchid IT, the Midlands’ leading supplier of IT support and services, has thrown its support behind a Derbyshire-based project aimed at rebuilding schools in Uganda.

Pride Park-based Orchid, which was recently crowned Business of the Year at the 2009 Business Awards Derbyshire, has donated a laptop computer and created 200 CD’s for Project Uganda, which will see eight students from Woodlands and Ecclesbourne schools travel to Uganda in July to help with the building of two schools in the Mukono District about two hours outside of Kampala.

The trip, which is organised by Cllr Pauline Latham and is now in its second year, provides young people with the opportunity to travel to Uganda to help with a whole host of projects including supplying educational equipment and building materials to Mirembe Secondary School and Kiringo Secondary School. Money raised by the students goes towards providing equipment for the schools.

So far, this year’s group of hardworking students have raised £6,000 towards their trip through various fundraising activities, including a charity fashion show, cake sales and packing shopping bags at supermarkets.

Orchid’s donation of a laptop will be used as the main prize in a raffle, which is expected to raise around £1,000, whilst the 200 promotional CD’s will be used to advertise Project Uganda to potential sponsors.

Commenting on the donation, Orchid’s Managing Director Brett Critchley said:

“I’m delighted to be able to support this very worthwhile project. The students have worked so hard towards their fundraising, and their enthusiasm is incredible. I hope that the donation of this equipment will enable the students to reach their fundraising total and enable them to carry out their excellent work in Uganda.”

Derby City Councillor and Project Uganda leader Pauline Latham added:

“I’d like to thank Orchid for their generous donation of equipment to Project Uganda. I’m incredibly proud of the hard work that the students have put into their fundraising, and I hope that the support from Orchid will spur the students on to raise even more money for this wonderful cause.”

The group will leave Derby on 10th July for the nine day trip.