A charity is hoping to help older residents go online with a digital inclusion project. The Age UK East London project aims to bring more older residents online through a scheme that will eventually offer volunteer buddies.

Larissa Howells, Director of Services at Age UK, East London, says there are still elderly people who do not have access to a computer, with poverty, lack of basic skills and anxiety about scamming being the three main reasons.

As part of the digital inclusion scheme, tablets can be loaned to elderly people who do not have a device. Start up and set up will be carried out by IT trained digital inclusion officers. They will set up the elderly person’s device, give oneto-one basic tuition, and in particular make sure they know how to access Zoom.

If someone is borrowing a tablet, it will be dropped off at their address ready for set up and basic tuition the following day.

Then they will be matched with a volunteer buddy who will regularly conduct Zoom sessions with the elderly person, and give any necessary guidance. They will visit websites related to their shared interest such as gardening.

To allay fears of scams, the volunteer buddy will show the elderly person how to keep the input secure.

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer, please email info@ageukeastlondon.org.uk or phone 0208 981 7124

Sophie Ibotson, Coordinator of the Older People’s Reference Group wants to hear of any issue affecting elderly people – Sophie.ibotson@ageukeastlondon.org.uk or 0208 981 7124.

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.