Getting in the digital world
Looking at sites for new school
10 Village Voice October 2015
PEOPLE from South Derbyshire – and beyond – are being given an opportunity to brush up on their digital skills, thanks to a unique Lottery-funded project. The “Dig-It” project from South Derbyshire’s Citizens’ Advice Bureau (CAB) was kick-started by research which showed that 20,000 people in the county had never been on the Internet – a worrying statistic in today’s information age. Having undertaken their research and secured Big Lottery Funding, the Swadlincote-based CAB team has launched Dig-It, which offers free sessions throughout the area. These sessions give people the opportunity to learn about a range of digital skills, including online shopping, using a smartphone, doing job searches, Skype and Microsoft packages including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Publisher. Two sessions have already been held in Melbourne Library, with more planned, and the team is also able to visit people in their homes. Dig-It lead Jane Swindall said that a lack of digital skills was becoming an increasing problem in today’s world, where lots of vital information – such as benefit forms – is now only available online. Skills such as composing emails and attaching documents are also key for
young job applicants, and there are many problems of social isolation brought about by an inability to connect digitally. Jane said that the Dig-It scheme was already hearing from people suffering a range of different types of digital exclusion, such as wanting to Skype relatives who have moved away but being unable to work out how, or older people being given tablets by their families but having no idea how to use them. She said: “You have got to be able to use a computer and have some idea of digital equipment. What we are trying to do is give people those skills to avoid them getting even further down the chain. “So many services are going online – not many people are aware that everything is starting to go on to the Internet. “We have got a lot of people who are housebound, for whatever reason, and it’s very isolating if you haven’t got that contact to the outside world.” The Dig-It scheme is open to all, with people already coming to the sessions from East Staffordshire and other places further afield. The next Melbourne session is being held in the library on the morning of Friday, October 16. To find out more, ring the CAB on 01283 210 109. – Lucy Stephens
be te will a ark e ultim unique P n h o t a t g o s in t is t Don med in it hos . This cial for when Fayre et spe s n a e s tr enu ristma y to g up the e ive v h nit fest oor C portu ts, soak own th d ind eal op s gif t oun ig day! id istma nd c b the .uk Chr here a til the p k.co n s u o par atm days n o ingt .don w w w
e Rink! Magical Ic o Travel t tto ro G ’s a t n Sa line) required on (Pre-booking
*Charges may apply after 7pm for evening entertainment.
Live music! Crafts, Stalls, Food and drink!
l A CHEQUE for £800 was presented to Cancer Research UK at an awards evening at the Melbourne RBL Club. The money was raised by Melbourne Town Cricket Club on its now annual Bob Marshall Fund-Raising day. Pictured presenting the cheque are (l-r): Dan Marshall, Anne Peace (Cancer Research UK), Jayne Marshall and Laura Marshall.
Burglars’ ‘high value’ haul
BURGLARS broke into a Melbourne home and stole thousands of pounds worth of goods, including diamond wedding rings. The criminals smashed a window at the back of the Station Road property between 12.50pm and 3.35pm on Wednesday, September 30. They stole what police have described as “high value items” including diamond wedding rings, two MacBook Pros and two iPads, along with a Canon camera and cash. Police want to hear from anyone
FREE
entry for everyone*
Hang a on th ribbon e tr for Cha ee rity!
who might be able to help solve the crime, including anyone who may have seen a white transit van parked close by at around 12.50pm on the day of the burglary. Anyone with any information, or who may have seen someone acting suspiciously in the area, is asked to contact detective constable Lesley Smith on 101, quoting crime number 42069/15. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
FURTHER possible sites for a new South Derbyshire secondary school are being mulled over by county education planners. A large consultation exercise was launched in the spring of this year to ask people their views as to where a new secondary school should be built to cater for the educational needs for around 1,500 children brought about by large numbers of new houses in this area. The original document put forward four suggested sites, of which Melbourne and Findern were ranked joint last out of various selection criteria. Top of the list was Stenson Fields, despite its being in a flood-risk area, the main reason for which was that the suggested site at Wragley Way would be the closest to most new homes. The Village Voice reported in March the fact that Melbourne looked unlikely to get a new secondary school, but since then no results of the consultation have been made public. When the Village Voice asked Derbyshire County Council for the latest news on the plans, it was given the following statement: “We had an excellent response to our consultation and would like to thank everyone who took the time to give us their views. “The responses included some suggestions for other sites which meant further work taking place to evaluate the possibilities. “Once this work is finalised, we will be bringing a report back to cabinet.”
Celebrate Chri stmas in style in the glamorou of Donington s setting Park, one of th e world’s mos t famous racing circuits ! At a venue stee ped in motorsp or t history and ra by legends of ced on the sport includ ing Ayrton Se Valentino Ros nna and si, get a taste of the glamour of with complim motorsport entary welcom e drinks, cana wine, as well as pés, and table a four course Christmas dinn Entertainmen er. t includes caba ret, close up M and Fun Casino ag ic Show , with a party room also included with stunning soun ds and lights, a dance floor and live music . Dates: 11th, 12 th, 18th and 19 th December.