THE Mayor of Ross-on-Wye saw for himself how a charitable organisation is helping older people to become part of the online world.

Mayor, Cllr Linden Delves visited the Digital Café run by Age UK Wyvern, which takes place at the town’s library every Tuesday morning to help the older generation with all kinds of digital problems and queries.

These sessions are new to Ross and the local volunteers are aiming at ensure that older residents can reap the benefits by being online.

The mayor, a professional information technology team leader himself, visited the café to discover more about the service, along with several Ross residents, as he has a keen interest in helping people get to grips with technology.

Cllr Delves said: “The most striking part of my visit was the patience shown by the volunteer experts providing the one-to-one support to the attendees.

“The range of support available is impressive. From basic internet connectivity and email management to mobile phone apps and social media, the Digital Café covers essential skills needed for modern life to ensure nobody is left behind.”

Research shows that older people are the most at risk of being left behind in an increasingly online environment.

Last year, a national Age UK report revealed that three in ten over 75s could not use the online forms they needed to book GP appointments or register to vote.

Accessibility is a common problem: one in four of the same age group struggled to adjust the settings to make screens brighter or fonts larger.

The service is completely free and available to anyone over the age of 50. People are encouraged to bring along their own phones, laptops or tablets to talk about individual issues, for example using the NHS app or starting online shopping.

No booking is necessary, and the support lasts for as many weeks as it takes to solve the issue.

Art Shrimpton, who co-ordinates the cafes for Age UK, explained the advantages the digital cafés provide: “Free support is given by expert volunteers who are familiar with technology and possess the added skill of being good and empathetic listeners.

“Everyone is welcome – whether they are a complete novice who has never turned on a laptop or sent an email, or a more experienced user seeking a solution to a specific problem. Whilst it is a drop-in, we welcome regular clients who can appreciate the social side of the café every week, sharing problems and solutions over a cuppa.’

The digital café can help people to use their mobile phone or compute. Where possible all you need to do is bring your device to the library and get individual expert help, including: connecting to the internet; sending and receiving emails; Using everyday phone apps, especially the NHS app; completing online forms and applications; doing online shopping and banking and saving and sharing photos and videos.

Anyone wanting to find out more about the digital cafes can ring Art Shrimpton on 0333 0066 299 or email [email protected].