100% Digital Leeds partners with Leeds Digital Ball

The highly anticipated return of the Leeds Digital Ball this year sees a huge response in sponsors who want to be a part of the incredible movement towards achieving digital inclusion for all in Leeds.

Aiming to tackle the underlying causes of digital exclusion, the Leeds Digital Charity Ball has been set up to highlight the challenges caused by the digital divide. The event will raise funds for community organisations, via the Leeds Digital Inclusion Fund, who provide support and access to technology, increasing digital inclusion in a fast evolving, digital world.

The sponsors of the event include digital consultancies Hippo Digital, Axiologik and Opencast Software, international law firm Addleshaw Goddard and security cloud provider SailPoint. The event also boasts a further ten sponsors including Amazon, BJSS, DCR Partners, Brighter Consulting, DataShed, Audacia, ALT Legal, Cognizant, Iridium and Bruntwood.

The organisers of the event hosted a launch lunch on the 9th February which kicked off the next round of fundraising. The 14 event sponsors came together in Leeds to reflect on the achievements of last year’s fundraising and highlight how the money has been put to great use with the support of the Leeds Digital Inclusion Fund, which works towards a fairer and more cohesive digital ecosystem for all in Leeds.

The Leeds Digital Inclusion Fund is a new partnership between Leeds Community Foundation and 100% Digital Leeds - the Leeds City Council led initiative working to improve digital inclusion across the city and make Leeds the most digitally inclusive city for everyone.

The Fund supports community organisations to incorporate digital inclusion in their day-to-day work, in sustainable ways. As the region’s largest independent funder, Leeds Community Foundation is the only organisation of its kind in Leeds and Bradford, working with hundreds of community organisations each year.

Thanks to the new partnership with 100% Digital Leeds, the two bodies will work together to ensure that no one in Leeds is excluded from the digital world.

Jason Tutin, Digital Inclusion manager for Leeds City Council’s Integrated Digital Service , said: “100% Digital Leeds is one of the most successful and well-respected digital inclusion programmes in the country. We work with over 200 organisations, teams, settings and services across Leeds to increase digital access, engagement and participation.

Liz Whitefield, a director from Hippo Digital, said: “We were founded in Leeds almost seven years ago, and we like to give back to the city we hold deep in our hearts and something like this, which raises money for the city but also focuses on digital inclusion is perfect. Digital inclusion is a human right; at Hippo, we care passionately about making services and our professions more accessible for everyone.”

In 2021, according to the UK Consumer Digital Index from Lloyds Bank, 22 per cent of the UK population didn’t have the digital skills for everyday life. By supporting community organisations to embed digital inclusion work throughout what they do, the Fund will mean people in Leeds will have the skills, support and equipment to be active online, now and in the future.

The first event in 2022 raised over £50,000, with 350 attendees, for projects in Leeds that focused on digital inclusion with hopes to beat this huge total, and receive double the amount of attendees, at the event in 2023. Taking place at the Royal Armouries Museum from 7pm onwards at the New Dock Hall, the Leeds Digital Ball is set to be an excellent night for all.

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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