KCOM gets community online with Pelican brief

An east Hull community centre is helping people get online with the help of KCOM.

The Friends of Pelican Park charity is celebrating the opening of its new IT suite, which has been made possible with money from KCOM’s Community Grant scheme.

The charity, which is based at a new £300,000 centre off Lambwath Road, now has six ultrafast Lightstream-connected PCs that can be used by the local community.

Charity founder and trustee Jan Hornby said the suite would help open up new horizons for the wide range of groups that use the centre.

She said: “KCOM giving us the money to buy these new computers will create so many new opportunities for the people who use the centre, who come from all backgrounds and range from age four to 94.

“We have youngsters who use the centre for their homework and teens who will be able to come here to learn basic skills, like CV writing and computing. At the other end of the scale we have groups like the one we have in today, the Over-55s, many of who have never touched a computer before.

“Having the suite here will help them to get online for the first time and give them the chance to email family or do their shopping. It’s all about helping people to learn new skills and building confidence and self-esteem.”

Jackie Burns, 77, of east Hull, was one of the intrepid silver surfers learning new skills at the centre as part of the KCOM-backed Get Online Week, which aims to get internet novices to try at least one new thing online.

She said: “I think it’s excellent. I think it’s definitely a good idea to learn how to use a computer more. My grandson said he’s looking forward to be able to Skype me when I get more proficient.

“I’m not interested in doing games or anything like that, but it would be nice to able to email or Google something.”

 * For more detail about the range of activities and groups available at the Pelican Park Community Trust visit www.pelicanparkhull.org. For more details about KCOM’s work in the community and how to apply for a grant visit www.kcomhome.com/community