Best Silver Surfers’ Day 2010 Event – prize winners announced in News and Events
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06 October 2010
Digital Unite, who have run the UK-wide Silver Surfers’ Day campaign in collaboration with partners for nine years, announced today the winner and runners-up of this year’s Best Silver Surfers’ Day Event prizes. In May 2010, over 1200 Event Holders ran more than 1600 events between them, at which over 32,000 older people around the whole of the UK were given a taste of digital technologies and how the internet might just be the ticket to connection, convenience and even a bit of fun.
Emma Solomon, Managing Director of Digital Unite, said: ‘The quality and creativity of event holders across the UK has been superb this year, so much so that Digital Unite has decided to award two additional runners-up prizes, each of £250, in addition to the main prize of £1000. We are delighted to announce that Cottsway Housing Association in partnership with Age UK Oxfordshire are the winners of this year’s Best Event. The event on May 21 at Cottsway in rural West Oxfordshire brought together residents, members of the public, staff, helpers from Age UK and even sixth form students from Henry Box Secondary School, Witney, in a Hawaiian-themed day that made a huge impact on everyone involved. The two joint runners-up are Southampton City Council Supporting Housing, and Age Concern Tameside, both of whose events were simply outstanding’.
Sam Biddle, Community Development Worker at Cottsway Housing said: ‘We and Age UK Oxfordshire really wanted the residents to enjoy a fun and memorable day as an introduction to the internet and computers, and here in rural West Oxfordshire, computer suites are scarce. We had never done a Silver Surfers’ event before, but we certainly will do so again in the future. All the IT training was given by Age UK. Our staff worked tirelessly to turn two boardrooms into beach huts, complete with 6 surf boards, lanterns, life size Hula girls and decorative palm trees. We played mood music, served up fruit cocktails and asked the residents to dig out their Hawaiian shirts!
‘All the staff and helpers took so much away from the day, especially the feeling that they had helped someone learn something new. People who took part had their confidence visibly boosted at the end of the sessions. We had one lady who was so upset that she started to cry when she sat in front of the computer because it was so daunting for her. We sat with her and at the end of the day she had such a huge smile on her face! The thirty residents who took part had a great day and many signed up to future courses with Age UK Oxfordshire.’
Age Concern Tameside’s CEO Bernadette Ashcroft said: ‘Our aim at Age Concern Tameside is to empower older people to remain active, independent and involved. Running a Silver Surfers’ Day is a great way to do this, by bringing generations together, helping people to keep in touch, keep up to date and improve their skills, for now and in the future’.
Bev Weir, Activity Coordinator at Southampton City Council Supporting Housing said: ‘At nine of our housing schemes we held “First Timers Days” in May to encourage residents to have a go on a computer and to meet their peers who were Silver Surfers willing to mentor others. We were surprised and very pleased with the huge response. From these sessions we’ve now set up computers in 24 of our schemes and we’re hoping to put on courses with continued support from local youngsters, to help the many residents already waiting to sign up’.
‘We’d also like to acknowledge the other seven event holders who were on this year’s shortlist’, added Emma. ‘From a 92 year old lady who was interested in online dating , to a gentleman whose interest was sparked by Youtube videos of the Bluebell Railway, their events were truly inspiring and we congratulate all of them very heartily. Our honourable mentions this year go to: Andover Neighbourcare, Citizens Online (City of London), Johnnie Johnson Housing Trust (Cheshire), Learning for the Fourth Age (Leicester), Simpson Primary School (West Lothian), Thurrock Council for Voluntary Service and the Walsall Housing Group.’
For more details of the winning events, see also http://dnc.digitalunite.com/
About Digital Unite
Digital Unite (DU) has been promoting and delivering digital literacy to older people since 1996. We believe that in a digital world, access to technology and the skills and understanding to make the most of it, and enjoy it, should be open to anyone, irrespective of age or background. Over one hundred thousand older people have been helped on their online journey through our work. Visit us at www.digitalunite.com or call us on 0800 822 3951 to find out more.
About Silver Surfers’ Day
Silver Surfers’ Day (SSD) is Digital Unite’s flagship annual campaign. It is the biggest, national campaign to promote older people's digital literacy in the UK and its tenth anniversary in 2011 will be on May 20th. SSD works by encouraging older people’s intermediaries and organisations both formal and informal - such as libraries, local charities, schools, businesses, friends and family – to support local elders to explore digital technology at a SSD Event. Digital Unite is evolving the SSD model considerably for 2011 in order to make it fresh and appealing for an even greater number of event holders and older people.
Contacts:
Digital Unite: judith [dot] graham [at] digitalunite [dot] net tel: 0800 822 3951