NATIONAL Get Online Week is aiming to get Redditch residents switched on to the internet.
Redditch Mayor Councillor Joe Baker will kick off proceedings by holding a face-to-face videocall meeting on Monday (October 17) with his counterpart, chairman of neighbouring Bromsgrove District Council Coun Helen Jones, to make arrangements for some of their charity work.
On Tuesday residents will be able to get advice to go online safely at a special ‘cyber mobile’ on Alcester Street from 10am to 3pm. Representatives from West Mercia Police and Redditch Borough Council will be on hand to talk about staying safe while using the internet.
Then on Wednesday the lucky winner of the borough council’s ‘Go Online’ survey prize draw, which was to find out more about local internet usage, will be revealed as they scoop an Amazon Fire tablet.
Finally Thursday will bring a public event at the Town Hall from 10am to 3pm for people to drop in and see how to keep warm and save money by taking advantage of cheaper energy suppliers and other advantages available online, with advice from Act on Energy. Residents are urged to bring an energy bill along for expert advice.
Re-use social enterprise NewStarts and Heart of Worcestershire College will also be on hand for cheaper computers and the skills to use them, as well as Age UK and Severn Trent for even more support.
Coun John Fisher, whose portfolio includes skills, said: “The internet can bring huge benefits and it’s important that nobody in Redditch is excluded from them, so we want to help and encourage people to get online. If you feel that you could use a little support, come along and get started.”
The promotions are being organised by Redditch Borough Council and partners as part of work under the Go Online Worcestershire partnership, to help more people access the benefits online services can bring.
