Business News
UK’s first digital food bank created
O
ne of the UK’s first digital food banks has offered hope to people in need over the winter – after the project was assembled by a Leicestershire company.
Meridian Digital Solutions, in Peckleton, worked with global locker
manufacturer Kern to help the charity Surviving the Streets to create self- service lockers that provide 24/7 access to food, sleeping bags and tents. The first of the contactless lockers was installed in Hastings, Sussex, with
the aim of keeping the charity’s staff and service users safe during the pandemic while also increasing the hours of operation without needing more volunteers. Andy Viner, Managing Director of Meridian, said: “Surviving the Streets
carries out amazing work and we love what it does for the community. “Between ourselves and Kern, we have provided the solution for a free
trial initially to prove the concept and then the hope is that these units are rolled out in towns on the Sussex coastline. “The technology could easily be expanded to a national level to
help with a problem that is common across our country, especially in these trying times. Referrals for service users can come in at all times of the day or night so the increased access provides an incredible new service. Our main role has been bringing the project together, best practice advice and consultancy, and a heap of passion.” Meridian is an expert in self-service kiosks, smart lockers
‘The technology
and digital signage, while during the pandemic it has mobilised facial recognition technology to develop personnel management systems that can be used to scan employees’ and visitors’ temperatures before allowing access to workplaces. Meridian’s customer success manager Connie Masini Amena led the
could easily be expanded to a national level’
Meridian Digital Solutions Customer Success Manager Connie Masini Amena
project and, working with Kern, helped Surviving the Streets understand what was achievable from installation, hardware and how the software could be used. The locker is set up to allow a service user to contact the charity via
phone or email to receive a unique locker access code. Items available include long-life, tinned and dried food packs for one to
four people, lasting up to four days. Volunteers stock the locker and make the items accessible 24 hours a day, rather than having to wait for shops, offices and support centres to open.
James Robinson, Co-founder of Surviving the Streets UK, said: “Our
digital foodbank will give a massive boost to how we operate, delivering a range of benefits at a time of year which traditionally puts many people under financial pressure, made worse this year by coronavirus. “We expect calls for help to double or triple over the next few months
and the new lockers will help fill gaps in how we support our local community.”
Improve digital skills with Barnsley College
Barnsley College has launched a new course to help improve digital skills across the region. The fully-funded Level 2
Certificate in IT User Skills course is aimed at those aged 19 and over who need to develop their IT literacy in order to secure employment or improve their professional performance. It is designed to be completed
online via the Skills Network’s digital learning platform over a period of six to 10 weeks, depending on the applicant’s prior knowledge. The course has a weekly intake,
which means that it is open to accept a new cohort of applicants every Monday. As a part-time programme, students need only study one day per week and they do not need to sit exams. To gain the certificate, they complete assignments for each of the five modules they work on. On completion of the course,
students will have the IT skills required for the modern workplace. This includes the production of
8 CHAMBERconnectWinter 2021 Caption needed Caption needed Caption needed Caption needed
presentations and spreadsheets, as well as fundamental knowledge of IT software and security. Abby Holmes, Programme Manager of Business, Warehousing and Logistics (the Department responsible for delivering the course), said: “A basic understanding of IT is imperative for anyone living and working in
our digital age. At the moment, there are a huge number of people across Barnsley and South Yorkshire who simply do not possess those skills. “By offering this course, the
college is giving residents of all ages the opportunity to gain new digital skills and boost employability in the local area, as
well as promoting an ethos of lifelong learning and professional development.” The arrival of this course also
reflects the college’s commitment to delivering on the proposals set out in the Government’s Skills for Jobs White Paper. The document sets out reforms to post-16 technical education and training, and encourages schools and colleges to support people developing the skills needed to secure employment and improve national productivity. In response to the Government’s
proposals, Yiannis Koursis, Principal and Chief Executive of Barnsley College, said: “Colleges must continue to rise to the challenge and offer solutions that drive the future economy, meet the nation’s skills gaps, and present an opportunity for real progression to students.”
To find out more about the course, or to apply for a place, visit
www.barnsley.ac.uk/it-user or email
info@barnsley.ac.uk
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