by Phil Dolby

The COVID-19 Mutual Aid Helpline has proved to be a great success during the coronavirus pandemic. It has highlighted how useful modern technology is and the importance of maintaining communication between people.

All sorts of WhatsApp groups have sprung up, together with Zoom and Skype, emails and texting. If you have no idea what the last sentence is talking about you are not alone.

A splinter group to the COVID Helpline has been set up to help local people use the internet to communicate. Crich Area Digital Friends will concentrate initially on helping people with a smart phone, tablet or computer, to use very simple apps to communicate with friends and family.

I don’t twitter, tweet or blog and I don’t want to, but to be able to see and talk to our grandson while he’s running round excitedly showing me his toys, even though he is a thousand miles away, makes the internet worthwhile. We used to talk about videophones, well now they exist and are free and as easy to use as a telephone.

The group aims to be able to give advice on equipment and costs, be able to lend equipment to people to try and to help people master very simple communication apps. 

If you, or someone you know, would like help to stay in touch with family and friends, or make new friends please call us on 01773 852635 or contact us on our Facebook page Crich Area Digital Friends. 

Leaflets can be picked up in Crich Post Office or you can download one here

The Benefits of Being Connected

Feel Connected

• Chat face to face with friends and family
• Listen to music or play games
• Check the weather and order your prescriptions
• Use the camera to take photos and send to others

Don't just take our word for it

Quite a few local residents are already online with our help - here's what some have said:

"I felt very brave using this new technology, it's a marvelous thing and it's been great for me to see other people's faces again"

"I didn't realise what I'd been missing out on - I'm learning to use one thing at a time and once I'm used to it it's find"

Funding

We have been successful in applying for funding from various places which has enabled us to get the project up and running. With the money that has been donated we have bought some mobile phones and tablets that can be loaned out to people who are interested in trying before buying.

We would like to thank Counsellor David Taylor and Counsellor Trevor Ainsworth of Derbyshire County Council for their contributions towards the project.

David said

I am delighted to be able to help fund this important project and I am sure it will be successful in providing the residents of Crich area the support they need in these difficult times.

See this news article about more amazing funding from The National Lottery Community Fund

and the video below for more news about the Digital Friends: