Thomas Harvey, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Santander UK, shared more about his inspiring swim from Spain to Africa in support of the laptop program of Ukraine Friends

Thomas Harvey, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Santander UK, shared more about his inspiring swim from Spain to Africa in support of the laptop program of Ukraine Friends, which helps children in Ukraine get devices for remote learning.

Thomas swam 16 km in 15-degree water after being on a waitlist for 8 years, so he definitely wanted to dedicate it to something special. After successfully reaching his destination and raising over 60 devices and financial donations to support logistics, Thomas shared his reflections on this campaign with our team:

“It’s incredible how the donation of a gently used laptop to a child in Ukraine can actually really help change their life for the better. I think we all agree it’s a universal civil right and human right for people to have access to education…

The feedback I got on the campaign was incredibly positive. Only two days ago, I had a colleague reach out to me and say, ‘I’ve spoken to the business, I’ve got 60 laptops which I want to donate,’ and that is fantastic. People feel that by donating the laptops and contributing to the cause, they can see a direct impact and positive effect on the people of Ukraine.”

Thomas also highlighted the responsiveness of the security community and encouraged more people in the industry to support the cause:

“I love the security community because I think we care. If people really want to care and really want to do something about it, then speak to your IT departments, go and speak to your friends, go and speak to your families. There are so many disused laptops which could be a real lifeline to children and people in Ukraine.”

Watch the full video with Thomas: