Portview supports local communities with Digital Devices on Giving Tuesday 

27 Nov 2023

Portview, partnering with Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, have donated digital devices to the use of local community organisations and charities to mark Giving Tuesday 2023.

As a business, Portview strives to give back. Portview have a rolling program of updating our computers once they reach a certain age and as part of our corporate social responsibility strategy we have worked with the Community Foundation to ensure that these devices reach organisations who need assistance in terms of digital capacity.

In 2022 devices were distributed on behalf of Portview to several charities including Rathcoole CREW, a newly formed women’s group, who have been using the laptops for a community drop-in service so they can help local people, especially women and families, to go online and seek out useful information about community, voluntary and statutory services, like information about heating payments, benefits and a range of other issues.

Other devices assisted organisations working on the Community Foundation’s leadership programme such as the Focus project at Creggan Enterprises in Derry.

Amie Gallagher from the Focus Project, Creggan Enterprises said:  

“The laptops were invaluable in supporting our participants on the Leadership Programme.   As single parents on low incomes purchasing a device wouldn’t be affordable.  Digital poverty is an issue that has been highlighted particularly during Covid and is a barrier to participation and progress.

“By having access to a laptop these women could complete learning.  They had the flexibility to do this in their own time, around their caring commitments, which is invaluable for mums.  They have gone on to design mini programmes and resources for our project as a result.”

Speaking today, Paul Scullion, Managing Director of Portview said:  

“At Portview, we are thrilled to reaffirm our commitment to community support through our collaboration with the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland on Giving Tuesday.

“As part of our ESG strategy we are committed to supporting digital capacity where it is needed most in society. The positive impact of our previous device donations, particularly at Rathcoole CREW and the Focus project at Creggan Enterprises, validates the importance of addressing digital poverty, especially for single parents facing financial constraints.

“As Managing Director at Portview, I am proud of our role in making a meaningful difference, and our continued partnership with the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland reflects our commitment to enhancing digital capacity across the community and voluntary sector.

“These donations play a crucial role in enabling organisations to access essential services, supporting education, outreach, program planning, and funding and we will continue to support these causes in coming years.”

John O’Doherty, Policy and Public Affairs Director at the Community Foundation added:  

“This is the second year that we have partnered with Portview on the distribution of digital devices and these donations have been hugely beneficial. These devices are instrumental in helping the charities that we support, providing the ability to access essential services whether it be in the field of education, outreach, the planning of programmes or funding.

“As Northern Ireland’s largest independent funder we work closely with organisations across the community and voluntary sector. We have identified the need to enhance digital capacity and this partnership helps us support what is a key pillar of the Community Foundation’s strategy.”