Press release -
Amble Post Office Officially Opens New Digital Booth In Branch
- Winners of Post Office Community Enterprise Grant launch internet booth to support local residents
- Mayor of Amble, Craig Weir, to perform opening ceremony
- Local residents invited into branch to make use of the new facilities and training sessions
Amble Post Office launched a new internet suite for local residents on Tuesday 10th June at 10.00am. Mayor of Amble, Craig Weir officially opened the newly installed digital booth and was joined by approved Northumberland County Council volunteers who held internet demonstrations and one to one coaching sessions in email, online shopping, Skype and much more.
Funded by a grant from the Post Office Community Enterprise Fund, the new booth offers local residents private access to internet, laptops, tablet devices and a printer, scanner and photocopier. The booth will also host taster sessions with local ‘Digital Champion’ volunteers on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. The facilities will be open to the local community six days a week for a total of 52 hours and cater for everyone in the community regardless of their previous experience.
Amble Mayor, Craig Weir, commented:
“I fully support and congratulate Bryan on all the work he has done and continues to do to enhance facilities in our community. The new digital booth will go a long way to improving the digital skills of Amble’s residents and I am delighted to be here today to see the booth in all its glory! I encourage all of our residents to come into branch to make use of this fantastic equipment.”
Bryan Hewson, subpostmaster of Amble Post Office, said:
“In discussions with local residents I sensed a clear need for wider access to the internet and digital sources of information. The Post Office holds an important place in our community and is well placed to address this need so I was delighted to receive a grant from the Post Office Community Enterprise Fund to do so. I can’t wait to open the digital booth, it looks great and I have been itching to put the equipment to use for weeks! I would like to thank everyone involved, especially our volunteers and Mayor Craig Weir for his support.”
Amble Post Office is one of 25 Post Office branches across England chosen as recipients of a grant worth up to £10,000 from the Community Enterprise Fund for their outstanding plans to support local people and businesses, and to tackle isolation amongst the elderly.
Other schemes include providing free Wi-Fi access to homes and the creation of a walled garden where disabled community members can develop gardening skills. All of the schemes are not-for-profit, but provide a service or activity which is easily accessible and open to all.
Over 99% of the population live within three miles of a Post Office so the Post Office is uniquely placed to support communities. In many communities across England, particularly those which are more rural, subpostmasters in Post Office branches already play an important role and go the extra mile to get involved in local activities and services.
- ENDS –
For more information please contact:
Ellie Austin
Tel: 0207 0123 107
Email: ellie.b.austin@postoffice.co.uk
Alternatively visit http://www.postoffice.co.uk/community-enterprise-fund
- Since 2012 the Post Office has supported Go ON UK’s aim to increase digital skills in the UK by signposting customers to local IT access and training facilities. Together with the Tinder Foundation and partners, Post Office branches offer customers a service which uses their postcode to print off the nearest five addresses of free or low cost internet access and training points.
- Go ON UK aims to make the UK the world’s most digitally skilled nation. Chaired by Baroness Lane-Fox, and other founding partners including Age UK, BBC, Big Lottery Fund, E.ON, EE, Lloyds Banking Group, Post Office and TalkTalk to ensure that everyone and every organisation – from small business to large corporations and charities – has the basic online skills to enjoy the social, economic and cultural benefits of the internet. Find out more at http://www.go-on.co.uk/
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About the Post Office
The Post Office (Post Office Limited) has an unrivalled national network of over 11,500 branches across the UK, more than all the high street banks combined, and sits at the heart of communities in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England. The Post Office has made a commitment to maintaining its network of branches at its current size and reach. It provides around 170 different products and services spanning financial services including savings, insurance, loans, mortgages and credit cards; Government services; telephony; foreign currency; travel insurance and mail services.
The Post Office serves over 17 million customers a week and a third of small businesses. Some 99.7% of the total population live within three miles of a post office and over 97% live with one mile of a post office. For many rural communities, the post office is the only retail outlet. Post Offices branches remain highly valued and trusted, and are the focal point of many communities. For more information, visit http://www.postoffice.co.uk/.
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