IGEL aids Crisis at Christmas with thin clients to help homeless
IGEL thin clients will be used to help the homeless across London this Christmas
Reading, UK. December 7th, 2011: IGEL is donating 232 thin clients for use in the Crisis at Christmas initiative to help London’s homeless over the festive period. The IGEL thin clients will be used as information stations and internet telephones at 10 Christmas Centres across the capital from December 23rd-30th, enabling 8,000 CRISIS charity volunteers to make the greatest possible difference for more than 3,000 homeless guests in the 40th anniversary year of the event.
The thin clients are part of a total IT solution being provided to Crisis at Christmas by the Aimar Foundation, a charity founded to provide IT support to other charities. For the fourth year running, the Aimar Foundation is funding and setting up the information systems network, with help from global IT companies, London-based cloud specialist Intercept IT and the support of volunteers, principally from Morgan Stanley.
IGEL thin clients and Intercept IT’s cloud platform “OnlineDesktop” will provide access to email, word processing and collaboration tools to enable CRISIS charity volunteers to communicate and identify shelter for homeless people over the Christmas period, as well as allow homeless visitors to get in touch with friends and family or use the technology to help improve their situation.
“We are providing IT expertise, through our volunteers and equipment to enable CRISIS to home, feed, clothe and advise those who, often through no fault of their own, have lost everything,” explained Simon Clark, CEO of the Aimar Foundation. “It is essential that the CRISIS staff can communicate effectively to provide this lifeline at this very important time of the year, when so many have nowhere else to go. Those in need can also use the IT network for additional advice and support. We are very happy to help CRISIS and indeed any other small charity that needs our practical and expert support, at any time of the year.”
Simon Richards, IGEL’s UK Managing Director, added: “IGEL has a successful track record of providing thin clients to the charitable sector and we are delighted to be supporting the Aimar Foundation for the second year running along with our reseller partner Intercept IT and volunteers from Morgan Stanley. The IGEL thin clients are ideal for Crisis at Christmas because they are simple and fast to set-up using our centralised management software, secure because all data is held on central servers and reliable because they have no fan or moving parts.”
For further information about Crisis at Christmas visit: http://www.crisis.org.uk/christmasvolunteering
For further information about the Aimar Foundation visit: www.theaimarfoundation.org
About IGEL Technology
IGEL Technology is one of the world’s major manufacturers of thin client hardware and software and is the market leader in Germany. IGEL develops, makes and sells Linux-based and Microsoft® Windows®-based terminals in various designs, including conventional desktop thin clients and devices integrated into LCD monitors. When it comes to software, IGEL also offers its powerful, productive Universal Desktop Converter (UDC). The UDC software equips older PCs as well as thin clients and nettops from selected third party companies with the latest IGEL Universal Desktop firmware. A typical feature of IGEL is the universal access to centralized IT infrastructures. This Universal Desktop strategy allows IGEL customers great flexibility in selecting a server-based solution. To implement this, IGEL has integrated a broad range of software clients, tools and protocols in its powerful firmware solution. In addition to permitting conventional forms of access to Server Based Computing in Windows®, Citrix® and Linux, these services also allow direct access to virtual desktops (VMware®, Citrix®, Microsoft®, RedHat® etc.), legacy host, SAP, Java and Web-based applications as well as VoIP. For the greatest possible security, all IGEL devices also support VPN and smartcard use. All Universal Desktop models can be centrally administered in a convenient, standardized and economical manner using the IGEL Universal Management Suite, which comes standard with the management software included with each unit. Furthermore, IGEL’s collaboration with experienced, capable partners and IT-sector specialists allows it to supply fast and flexible customized solutions right on location whenever necessary.
IGEL Technology is a member of the global Melchers Group and a member of BITKOM. In addition to having its headquarters in Bremen, Germany and its R&D department in Augsburg, Germany, IGEL is represented through a subsidiary in Great Britain as well as by representative offices in Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai. Beyond this, IGEL is also active through partner distributors and Authorized IGEL Partners in the United States and over 45 other countries.
Further information is available on the Internet at www.igel.com.
IGEL is a registered trademark of IGEL Technology GmbH. All hardware and software names are brand names or registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers. All other herein named or otherwise recognizable brands and registered brand names for goods and services are the property of their respective owners. Errors and omissions excepted. Specifications subject to change without notice.
Editorial contacts:
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UK Press Contact
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Email: Paul@ambergroup.net
