Silver Surfers' Day A Huge Success

Witney-based Cottsway Housing recently worked with Age UK to organise a “Silver Surfers’” day for elderly residents. In keeping with the Hawaiian theme for the day, residents and staff dressed in bright shirts and hula skirts while enjoying a day focused on computers and the internet.

The lack of internet access to citizens over 55 has received much media attention. In response, the aim of the Silver Surfers’ day was to introduce seniors to the advantages and joys of computers and internet technology.

To help with this, year 11 learners from the Henry Box School in Church Green, Witney, guided residents in surfing the web and also introduced them to the Silver Surfers’ website.

The community development worker at Cottsway, Sam Biddle, called the day a “huge success”. For many of the residents, this was the first opportunity they had to use a computer.

The Oxford Times reported that many signed up for the six-week computer course programme offered by Age UK as a result of the event.

Ruth Swift from Age UK Oxfordshire, said: “Many of us take for granted how much computers and the Internet can do.”

She is hoping that many older people will be encouraged to sign up for longer-term computer courses to “really understand the benefits of what computers and the Internet can do for them.”

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