WHITCHURCH people looking to improve their digital skills will be given more opportunities with a new voluntary service created in the town.

Vicki Ayton started Biz Ed Projects as a Community Interest Company (CIC) in October 2022 and has now moved into settled premises at 42 High Street.

A former volunteer, Vicki says the CIC is designed to help people of all ages grow confidence in their digital skills which she says opens up a whole new world for them.

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She said: “I started as a volunteer with the over-65s at Whitchurch Library with the Shropshire Digital Skills Programme, which was available across the county.

“I’m the chief executive of the CIC and also involved in the digital skills.

“We have Carla Armstrong, who is digital skills co-ordinator, and we have Anthony Gilmore who is one of the introductory group of volunteers we have.

“There’s five of us now that are available to get the get the community online.

“It’s not a direct response to the library closing – I wanted to be able to provide a service that’s not just the over 65s.

“We wanted to do more with people and not just the over 65s but then the library closed.

“It’s down to wanting to offer the same service as we did.”

Open two days a week, the service will also help people looking to meet new people.

She added: “We’re going to be open every Wednesday and Friday morning where we’ll offer digital training.

“People can come in with a device that doesn’t work or can bring in things and learn basic skills such as setting up an email or other day-to-day tasks.

“We can teach them to use their phones too.

“It’s also providing a special setting to give people confidence to feel safe.”

Carla added that volunteers are always welcome to help build the team, and believes they will get as much out of the work as the users would.

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She said: “We’re looking to bring volunteers and users together and we’ve worked at bringing together a group from diverse background to help people on this digital journey.

“We just want people to come to us and help build their own confidence and for people to know there’s somewhere to go.”

For more, head to www.bizedprojects.com