Circle turn helps Peter, 96, to join the digital world
HMR Circle, which supports people over the age of 50 in Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale is helping those who are tech illiterate get online.
This included 96-year-old Peter from Heywood.
Peter needed help processing his blue badge application online, and was also loaned a new tablet by Veterans in Communities so he could get online.
Director of HMR Circle, Mark Wynn, said the project has become “huge” since covid revealed the extent of older people who are not online.
He said: “Because of Covid-19 what has been highlighted is the digital veteran Harris, divide. A lot of older people aren’t online.
“As things move online, we can’t do face to face so we’re supporting people to get online.
“In Peter’s case he was able get a tablet from Veterans in Communities.
“We have tablets we loan out to people, and even Alexas for those who are visually impaired.
“We also provide instruction manuals that have been very popular.” HMR Circle have now, since September, supported over 50 people in getting online.
Mark added: “We have done Zoom classes and quizzes and we now have a second member of staff who will be devoted to getting people online.
“One of the big things is how left behind older people are because they’re not on the internet.
“You have to do lots of things online, like blue badges.
“It’s difficult because lots of people have no technology skills. It really is from the absolute start.
“Technology also moves at quite a pace.
“It’s been an eye-opener how many people aren’t online that it has developed into a big project.”