20 October 2008
New website launched in Portsoken to tackle fear of mice
Portsoken Community Centre will this week (Friday 24
October) host a special event to help local people conquer their
fear of mice. Computer mice, that is… as well as hard drives, USBs
and the internet.
Get Online Day, which is part of a national event taking place
in UK Online centres today, will be held at the Centre from 2pm -
5pm to help people understand how computers work. During the
afternoon, a virtual treasure hunt, ‘internet ‘taster’ sessions and
a Wii bowling tournament between local schoolchildren and a group
of ‘silver surfers’ will explain the benefits of getting
online.
Ian Burleigh, the City of London’s Member for Portsoken ward,
will launch a new community website -
www.portsoken.org.uk - at 4pm, which will
be demonstrated afterwards. Liam Barnes, who is ‘e-champion’ for
the City’s Community ICT Project and the event’s co-ordinator, will
be on hand to answer questions about the website.
Ian Burleigh says: “I am extremely impressed by the new website,
and by the progress made by my fellow Portsoken residents,
particularly the ‘silver surfers’ and the Bangladeshi community,
and I am grateful to Liam Barnes for his help. Some of the young
people in our ward have recently made an animated film, so I’m
looking forward to seeing a clip on the website.”
According to recent research[1], computer and internet use by
people in Portsoken is fairly low, which is why the area has been
chosen as the home of the City’s Community ICT project, run in
partnership between the City of London, BT and Citizens Online.
During the year, weekly events held at the Centre, as part of
the Portsoken ICT Project, include ‘e-Citizens’, which is delivered
by the City’s desktop training department; ‘Silver surfers -
informal user-led internet taster sessions for the 55+ age group;
‘Creative computers’ - an opportunity to use desktop publishing
software to create posters, flyers and invitations; the Bangladeshi
women’s group - fun informal online activities including online
shopping and watching videos on You Tube; and Connexions -
employment and training advice for young people.
Stuart Fraser, City of London Policy Chairman and Chairman of
the Portsoken Ward Working Party, says: “I am very encouraged to
hear that people in Portsoken, both young and young-at-heart, are
getting online to improve their employment prospects, or to use
their creative talents. The internet is, as they are discovering,
an amazing resource and I’m sure the new website will be a great
success.”
Ends
Notes for Editors:
The Digital Inclusion Team (DIT), which is hosted by the City of
London and funded by the Department for Communities and Local
Government, works to improve the lives and life chances of socially
excluded people and deprived neighbourhoods.
The Portsoken Everybody Online project is a new, three-year
initiative, which aims to increase residents’ engagement with
computers and the internet and help improve service delivery to
residents.
The City of London Corporation provides local government
services for the ‘Square Mile’. Its responsibilities also extend
far beyond the City boundaries and include the Guildhall Art
Gallery, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Barbican Arts Centre,
Central Criminal Court at the Old Bailey, 10,700 acres of open
space (including Hampstead Heath and Epping Forest) and three
wholesale food markets.
For more information, please contact:
Liam Barnes, City of London Community ICT Project, telephone 07734
058 750
Andrew Buckingham, Press Officer, City of London Corporation, 020
7332 1452,
andrew.buckingham@cityoflondon.gov.uk
[1] A survey conducted earlier this year found that only 50% of
people in the social group DE go online once every three months,
and only 36% of people in the 55+ age group go online once every
three months.