The new facility is expected to allow the patients to continue their schooling through a direct link with the Highland Council’s electronic education curriculum. Children will also be able to use the facility to keep in contact with friends and family at home with regular access to video-calling and social-networking sites such as Facebook and Bebo

.Fujitsu, reports John O'Groat Journal adopted the ARCHIE Foundation Hospital Appeal as its nominated charity of the year. It aims to raise £1m to transform Raigmore’s children’s ward into a child-centred, family friendly environment and is also being supported by the Scottish Provincial Press publication, The Inverness Courier. The project is part of the foundation’s mission to improve conditions for sick children and their families across the North.

“This is fantastic news for the ARCHIE appeal and the patients that will benefit from the new facility,” said Fundraising manager Alana Mackay. “There are children from all across the Highlands who stay in the hospital for long periods of time who suffer from conditions such as cystic fibrosis or need oncology or chemotherapy treatment. But the IT suite will also benefit students who are only in hospital on a short-term basis.

“Nothing exists like this at the hospital at the moment and this facility is part of our £1m appeal to improve patients’ time here.”

Fujitsu will provide computer hardware, software and broadband connectivity for the new facility, along with ongoing maintenance support. Director (right)  for the public sector, Brodie Shepherd said he is pleased it can support such a worthwhile cause.

“We are very pleased to have found a way in which we can add practical value to this worthwhile project,” he said.“We will be saving the charity thousands of pounds and providing an up-to-date modern IT setup.

“Our work with the council has helped enable this approach and their rapid approval has been very helpful, as the charity are looking at floor plans for the revamped children’s ward. Therefore we can work off a clean sheet, which minimises costs to the appeal.”

The company currently has a contract  to modernise the Highland Council’s IT facilities, including installing electronic curriculum resources in all schools.

The local authority has supported Fujitsu’s proposal to link in the Raigmore ward. (Left) Carolyn Wilson, chairwoman of its resources committee, said: “We have worked with Fujitsu to identify community benefits they can bring to the region and this will certainly be one of them, helping children and their families at a time when it is really needed."