A schoolboy from Richmond has started a petition calling for multinational tech companies to donate devices to children during the pandemic.

Harry Beresford-Peirse, 13, is asking big businesses such as Apple and Microsoft to give second-hand laptops to schools where remote learning is now a requirement.

The year 9 pupil hopes to address the “grossly unfair” problem of children falling behind without access to a computer.

Media regulator Ofcom estimates there are 1.1-1.8 million children in the UK without a digital device on which they can learn.

This was put into perspective for Harry when he heard that out of the 66 laptops needed for students at his primary school, only two were provided by the government.

"I am a year 9 pupil and I know from first-hand experience that distance learning is extremely hard, and I can only imagine how difficult it would be without a device.

“Keeping up with distance learning would be nearly impossible,” he said.

Harry’s goal is to ensure that every child in Richmond has access to their own device.

Harry Beresford-Peirse, 13, is asking tech companies to donate laptops over lockdown

He is firing off letters to top companies asking them to share some of their resources - be they used or unused.

“In this time of crisis everyone is doing their bit but the tech companies’ response to COVID seems weak for businesses of their size and wealth.

“How difficult is it for a tech company to give a child a second-hand computer?"

His change.org petition has already gained over 20,000 signatures as the race to fight educational inequality intensifies.

You can sign it here.