AJ Bell is making hundreds of Huawei tablets freely available to care homes and hospitals to help residents and patients stay in contact with their families and loved ones during the COVID-19 crisis.

It is the second initiative to be funded by the AJ Bell Wage War on COVID Fund which was launched at the beginning of April under the umbrella of the AJ Bell Trust, a UK registered charity. Staff at AJ Bell have donated all or part of their wages for April, May and June to the fund and further donations have been made by customers, financial advisers, the AJ Bell Trust and members of the public.

Over £150,000 has been raised so far in the first month. All funds raised will go directly to charities or other causes supporting people affected by COVID-19.

Care homes and hospitals can now apply to receive a free tablet via a simple form on the AJ Bell website and members of the public can also nominate a care home or hospital they think would benefit from a free tablet. AJ Bell will simply require a main point of contact at the care home or hospital who is happy to take delivery of the tablet.

The tablets will have popular communications apps such as Zoom, Houseparty and Skype preloaded by AJ Bell’s technology team with instructions enclosed, making it as easy as possible for care home and hospital staff to use with those in their care.

AJ Bell has been trialling the initiative with four care homes and hospitals in and around Manchester over the past two weeks. Staff at the care homes and hospitals are finding them invaluable as a way of connecting residents and patients with their loved ones that are not able to visit them due to the nationwide lockdown.

Andy Bell, chief executive for AJ Bell, says:

“Many people feel disconnected from their loved ones during the lockdown and technology is often the only way people in care homes or hospitals can communicate with their families and friends. We are providing devices to care homes and hospitals with apps like Zoom, Houseparty and Skype pre-loaded on them to give people the opportunity to see and speak to the people they are missing and hopefully bring some joy at an otherwise difficult time.

“Our Wage War on COVID fund was initially set up by staff who wanted to donate part of their wages to help people affected by the coronavirus crisis but it has also received amazing support from our customers, financial advisers and the public. It’s one of many examples of people coming together in desperate times to help those in need and anyone can now nominate a care home or hospital to benefit from this community spirit.”