Young Dover College pupils, some as young as 8-years-old held special computer classes last week as part of the Digital Champions initiative to help improve their parents' and grandparents' computer skills.

Pupils from years 3 and 4 helped teach people close to them develop internet use, as part of the Digital Champions national campaign, on Thursday (8 December).

They taught mums and grandparents to use different websites which interested them.

Issie Taylor showed her Grandma and Granddad how to send an email for the first time and then showed them how to book a holiday online.

 
Children pictured from left to right: Issie Taylor, Alice Messeter, Milly Willford, Frankie Ollerenshaw

Alice Messeter showed her mother a website advertising skiing holidays in France whilst Milly Willford chose to show her mother the P&O site as they are soon to be going on a cruise.

But was not just holiday websites that the pupils looked at, Francesca Ollerenshaw showed her Grandma a website to find the dates when you can see shooting stars.

Linda Binfield, ICT teacher at Dover College said, "I really hope that our young Digital Champions will carry on inspiring people around them, making them more confident with computers and the internet."

Senior pupils at Dover College took part in a session in November but this week’s was run by the junior pupils aged 8 and 9.

There are nine million people in the UK who have never accessed the internet; – that'’s one in seven people.

Digital Champions can help by showing someone, how to save money – by shopping online, save time by shopping without having to carry it home, order a tax disc or book a holiday and stay in touch using Email, Skype and social networking, which are all free.

Hawkinge Gazette and Channel Coast News 2011©