And for residents at a Wigan Borough sheltered housing scheme, surfing the web and riding the super-information highway, really is opening up a whole new world.
So far 11 people living at Walkden House in Ashton have completed a computer training scheme and are all avid internet users.
Residents May Gannon and Doris Pecekajus, both 85, had never used a computer until the course started 12 weeks ago. Now they are both very excited about the new opportunities suddenly available to them online. Together they both regularly beat the computer at card games and Doris has also proven to be a talented goal scorer on the Wii!
Contact with family has been particularly important and by using a webcam Doris has had face to face contact with her son in New Zealand for the first time in three years.
Doris says: “It was lovely to have a good chat and it is exciting to get emails and see photos of my grandchildren and great grandchildren. The first thing I noticed was that he has gone bald!”
Internet access is available for free through the People’s Network at the borough’s libraries and at your local Life Centre.
