Age Concern celebrates the Internet and Silver Surfing

Age Concern's Silver Surfers Festival is a month-long national campaign to promote the relevance and benefits of the internet to even more older people and to provide free internet access and training. Age Concern is running the Festival in partnership with Microsoft, Cable & Wireless and UK online, the Government-led campaign to enable everyone to make the most of the internet.

62% of the UK population have used the internet, but only 15% of those aged 65 and over have tried it. Age Concern blames cost, difficulties with vision and hand movements, and the 'perception, if the older person did not have the opportunity to use computers at work or school, that the internet is not relevant to them'.

However, the charity's research shows that of the 34% of people 55 years and over who are computer users, 66% feel it has had a positive impact on their lives.

The festival's internet taster sessions are being run by older people for older people, providing free access in a friendly, social environment in 75 UK locations. The sessions are running till June 6th and each week the festival is devoted to a specific theme to appeal to different motivations for wanting to learn about the internet.

This week the theme is 'Lifetyle and leisure: travel, entertainment, shopping and fitness' and the last week addresses 'Having a voice: online discussions and chat sites'.

Previously the emphasis was on 'Local living : finding out what's on locally, local services, lifelong learning' and 'Family history and reminiscence'.

Events have also been organised on the Age Concern supported site, The Baby Boomer Bistro, drawing attention to the resource. BBB was the first chat site in the UK developed specifically for the over 50s, giving them the chance to meet and make friends around the world. It has campaigning dimension, using a variety of special virtual events to bring the voices of older people to politicians, decision makers and experts in many different fields.

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