Delivering Essential Data Protection – Whizz-Kidz

Company Background

Whizz-Kidz is the UK’s leading charity for young wheelchair users.

Whizz-Kidz is a UK-based charity on a mission to transform the lives of disabled children by offering the right mobility equipment, skills training, and opportunities when they need them in order to thrive. Every young disabled person has the right to a fun, active childhood, and Whizz-Kidz is on hand to help them realise their full potential.

Working with the NHS, Whizz-Kidz has increased wheelchair provision to reach more disabled people to meet their individual needs. In fact, research has shown that the charity’s efforts are even more far-reaching, with the “Whizz-Kidz effect” having achieved a positive impact on wheelchair services across the UK and wider society.

The Whizz-Kidz Business Challenges

Whizz-Kidz originally approached Covenco over 15 years ago while searching for an IT Support Partner to help protect their email systems and data. As a charity, the organisation must adhere to strict policies regarding its handling and storage of data.

Over the years of working with Whizz-Kidz, we have adopted the data protection services that we provide in line with external threats and factors. These include GDPR and more recently, ransomware which is one of the most dangerous cyber-crimes targeting charities.

Meeting data protection regulations and supporting such a critical infrastructure on a tight budget is tough at the best of times, let alone when you’re trying to improve accessibility to wheelchairs and mobility equipment across the NHS. Whizz-Kidz needed a trusted partner to help them navigate the challenges facing the charity sector regarding data protection and infrastructure support. Ultimately, it was important for them to find a partner who could provide the best technology, alongside data protection services, guidance, and advice while being commercially sensitive to the restrictions on their budget.

The Solutions

A customer-orientated approach delivering advanced functionality with ongoing data protection services and critical infrastructure support.

This is where Covenco stepped in, as experts in data protection and infrastructure support. They used their experience and expertise to fulfill the requirements Whizz-Kidz identified for their data protection solutions. Covenco has continued to deliver a wide range of support and technical consultancy services for the charity, including bespoke project work and application support.

In more recent times with the rise of ransomware, it was important to evolve the services in-line with current threats. Therefore, looked to introduce a more robust data protection strategy against cyber-attacks, along with greater options for recovery. With that in mind, Covenco implemented a new backup solution using Veeam technology, providing local recovery capabilities, as well as offsite recovery and offline protection. This ensures that the 3-2-1-1 backup rule is met, providing a wider range of recovery options, should the worst happen. All of this is underpinned by the ability to recover to a completely isolated disaster recovery environment for complete business continuity and peace of mind.

The Result

Whizz-Kidz can focus its resources on the fantastic work they do, supporting disabled children across the UK. They are left confident that their data and IT infrastructure are protected with Covenco.

Covenco’s proactive and holistic approach to data protection and management has allowed them to support Whizz-Kidz in improving its cyber defenses and protecting the critical infrastructure that underpins the charity’s vital work. They have solutions in place to ensure they can meet the conditions required of them by data protection regulations. Their systems are also now protected and fully recoverable from cyber threats, and only ever a phone call away. The charity receives ongoing support so its IT systems and infrastructure are fully protected. Covenco continues to meet its unique business needs, leaving Whizz-Kidz with more resources to achieve its mission.

Overall, we’re more confident as a charity that our data is protected. Being a small charity it’s always good to know that you have that kind of backup where you can just call on somebody and ask them if they’ve seen this error before. Covenco has certainly been there for me with their bespoke and friendly approach; Whizz-Kidz IT would never be what it is now without their help.  Magnus Mbanu, IT Manager, Whizz-Kidz

It’s been a real privilege for Covenco to provide infrastructure support services to Whizz-Kidz over the last 15 years. Our relationship with the Whizz-Kidz IT Team has certainly evolved to a point where we are effectively seen as an extension of their own IT department. To be able to give back to the community in the form of our expertise and support to a charity that makes such a positive impact on so many lives is a great feeling. Gurdip Sohal, Sales Director, Covenco