Please see message below from Adam Bracher of the WEA about an IT course being run at Waitrose, Eaton. This starts on Wednesday 22nd April and runs for 6 weeks and is aimed at absolute beginners. Please pass on the details to someone you know who might benefit from this course.

Here is a poster about the course: Beginners IT Course

Message from Adam Bracher

If I can firstly introduce the WEA in a little more detail it might help explain our course.  We are the UK’s largest voluntary sector provider of adult education with more than 100 years of experience in bringing education opportunities to adults of all ages and backgrounds. Here in the Eastern region we organise and support approximately 1000 courses each year, which are taught by more than 300 professional course tutors within a quality framework. This provision attracts more than 8,000 individual learners (14,000 enrolments) each year. 

 I am looking to develop and expand our educational provision within Norfolk with our aim of helping and supporting local  communities, groups and individuals build confidence to learn new skills, live healthier lives, engage in society and broaden horizons. I have teamed up with Waitrose in Eaton to assist us with acheiving the above due the key role it plays in the local community. 

 We are running an Absolute Beginners IT course at Waitrose with the aim of combating the digital divide and isolation that many people face within the region. We want to help individuals up-skill and learn about the positives of using a laptop or tablet, and how it can help people on a daily basis. A recent study showed that older people who used digital technology and accessed the internet were less likely to develop dementia, have a higher sense of self-competence, and better mental health and physical health than their peers who did not. Add to this the increased communication channels that the internet offers, along with the possibility of shopping and banking online, the course can help to provide a level of independence. 

 The course will start on Wednesday 22nd April at 1pm and run for 6 weeks. Each weekly session will be 2.5hrs and will be held in the training room within Waitrose. They have kindly offered us their space and will provide coffee and tea free of charge for the duration of the course. We will provide laptops at the venue, but we also support learners bringing their own devices. The course fee is £48, however any students who are in receipt of an income related benefit are entitled to having the fee waived. Places are limited and are on a ‘first come, first served’ basis, so please do not delay. You can find out more information and book a place by either phoning Adam on 07919144217 or emailing abracher@wea.org.uk. I have attached a poster and if you are able to circulate it via email to your members and parishioners, I would be most grateful. Also, if you know of any other groups or organisation I could contact, again I would be most appreciative.

 Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate in contacting me.

 Thanks for your help