Tell us about your event

Contacts were made with the local library, Next Step adult careers organisation, Bristol City Council, Connecting Bristol computer reuse scheme and Age UK, all were asked to have a stall on the day and South West Computer provided a free laptop repair surgery. The University of the West of England, Carphone Warehouse Geek Squad, Best Buy and local school children, agreed to come along on the day as volunteers. A media, Skype, computer, laptop and Wii stations were set up, as well as a projector screen with BBC iPlayer. These were demonstrated by the volunteers and visitors took part in Wii games, X Box Kinect, Google Earth and Skype. The local MP came along in the afternoon and the whole day was covered by the local newspaper and BBC radio, as well as Housing 21 PR department. The event was advertised in advance in the local press as well as posters, flyers and invitations sent out.

Students from the university and local schoolchildren attended. A representative from South Gloucestershire council (nearby local authority , a Director from Housing21, senior management, other staff and residents from the scheme and other Housing 21 schemes interacted with the school children and university students, played on the Wii, X Box Kinect and Skyped with visitors. The Geek Squad and schoolchildren showed how to use iPads, iPods, texting, volume, ringtones etc on mobile phones and well as DVD and Blue ray, USB, media cards and dongles.

What went well at your event?

The event went extremely well, there were around 100-150 visitors throughout the day, transport was provided by Bristol Community Transport, sponsored by UWE and they picked up and returned people from four other sheltered schemes.

A resident made a speciality Silver Surfers’ cake , which was cut in the afternoon and everyone had a piece. Tea, coffee, biscuits and squash were served all day and lunch was provided for the volunteers. The children really enjoyed the day and have asked to return on a regular basis.

People from the wider community attended and some asked to join the computer club. Donations for a raffle were given by local shops, a hairdresser, a foot health practitioner, UWE and residents which raised over £90 for the computer club funds.

University students offered to volunteer their time to teach computer and IT to club members free of charge in the future .Everyone agreed they had a really enjoyable time. Even the local MP Charlotte Lesley interacted with the children and older people and thoroughly enjoyed herself. Many photographs were taken and media coverage given by the local Evening Post newspaper & BBC radio. The whole event didn’t cost us a penny as everything was donated.

What were the best stories you heard from the event?

One of the residents aged 94 years was interviewed and quoted that “I feel like Alice in Wonderland. I have gone through the keyhole and entered a whole new world. I can talk to family and friends on Skype, email them, share jokes and Google things I want to know and chat to friends & family in the chat room. I can travel the oceans without being seasick, travel the world without leaving my chair”.

The Director of our organisation as well as a senior manager both learnt how to Skype, The school children didn’t want to leave and begged their teacher to let them stay. One of them said “This is the best school day I have ever had, I love it here, please let us come again”.

All of the participants, volunteers and helpers, agreed that it was a great day and our Director has told the executive committee all about it. Our senior Manager is using us as an example in future meetings to encourage our other sheltered schemes to become digitally active. The local MP thought it was really impressive and the university students also want to return in the future.

What would you do with the £1,000 prize money if you won?

If we were fortunate to win the £1,000, it would be put into the Computer Club Funds to enable us to buy more equipment such as an XBox Kinect making it possible for disabled residents to enjoy games etc as some of them have problems holding the controllers of the Wii. We would buy more laptops to rent out and bring in more revenue to sustain the programme, there are plans to expand the programme to the wider community including the local school and the money would make this possible.