East Lothian singer donates laptops to families struggling with home schooling in Tranent

Rory Cunningham from Tranent completed the 26-mile march last week and has managed to collect more than £1500 for charity.

The 32-year-old said the money raised will do towards buying laptops for four schoolchildren in Tranent.

Mr Cunningham decided to take on the challenge after friends told him how much they are struggling to afford the equipment needed for their children to attend class at home.

The self-employed singer said: “I didn’t think it was a problem until some of my friends opened up about it.

“I know the schools are trying to provide support but some kids have definitely fallen through the net and don’t have what they need.

“I put a post on Facebook about my fundraising idea and a lot of people got in contact with me saying they needed help.”

Mr Cunningham went on to say that part of the issue is most families have multiple children trying to study from home.

He said: “They need headphones to concentrate and more than one laptop.”

Deciding to help tackle the issue Mr Cunningham set up a Just Giving page with the target of £500.

Within a week the local man was able to triple his fundraising target and said support from the local football team really helped him raise the cash.

Having now completed the 26-mile trek to Tynecastle Stadium and back and raised £1508 Mr Cunningham will now be able to provide four struggling schoolchildren with a new laptop.

The remaining money will be used to help families in Tranent pay for increased broadband bills and headphones.

Delighted to have been able to help his community during the pandemic, Mr Cunningham said the fundraiser has given him a “boost.

He said: “It’s great to know I’ve helped the families out and the challenge has also been good for my mental health and helped with the loneliness.”

A message from the Editor:Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.