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The event is part of national
MAD 4 IT week (14-18 October), during which local business
people give up their time and technology to help Community
projects reaching out to disadvantaged groups across the UK
During his visit Douglas Alexander
met a wide range of local residents, some of whom had not
used the internet before and were benefiting from expert IT
training helping boost their confidence and skills.
Douglas Alexander, Minister for
e-Transformation, said;
“This Government is intent on
encouraging the development of a flourishing IT nation and
helping everyone in the UK make the most of the Internet.
“I am delighted to see a UK online
centre playing host to such an important community initiative.
We have 5,200 UK online centres open across the country offering
local Internet access and training for people who are new
to the Internet to those who want to learn new computer skills.
“By rallying employees from leading
businesses to volunteer to share their skills and IT with
people who feel excluded from using computers and the net,
we are all helping to address the issue of digital divide.”
During the course of the week,
100 events staffed by over 1000 volunteers will take place
across the UK, and will show many for the first time how and
where they can benefit from access to IT and IT skills training.
MAD 4 IT week is supported by parties including the Office
of the e-Envoy, BUPA, Cisco, HSBC, Reuters, BBC, Chubb and
Marks & Spencer.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. MAD 4 IT week is organised
by Business in the Community (BiTC) and will see UK’s businesses
devoting their time and resources to improving IT access and
skills for groups such as the unemployed, elderly, homeless
and disabled.
The Office of the e-Envoy is leading
the drive to get the UK online, to ensure that the country,
its citizens and its businesses derive maximum benefit from
the knowledge economy.
To support this aim, the Office
has three core objectives:
- to make the UK the best environment in the world for e-commerce
by 2002;
- to ensure that everyone who wants it has access to the
internet by 2005; and
- to make all government services available electronically
by 2005.
Cabinet Office Press Office
70 Whitehall LONDON SW1A 2AS
Tel: 020 7276 0436
Fax: 020 7276 0618
Out of hours telephone 07699
113300 and ask for pager number 721338.
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