One of the UK’s longest established “silver surfer” groups has just celebrated its tenth birthday. The Airlie Cybercafé in Angus in Scotland has been bringing together older people with time on their hands, to learn computing skills and develop new friendships.
Carnegie UK Trust’s Honorary President William Thomson CBE, Great Grandson of Andrew Carnegie took part in the celebrations. He was joined by Trust Chief Executive, Martyn Evans, who said:
“I never fail to be amazed by the way that good ideas – if given a little help – can take off and fly. This is a great example of the Trust’s long history of using the funds it was endowed with to nurture the seeds of good ideas to make communities stronger and more active.”
Now, ten years on, and with most of the members having computers of their own at home, the group is increasingly using its time to push forward projects that will benefit many more people than just its members.
Mamie Bruce-Gardyne, who founded the group in her farmhouse kitchen before it moved to the Airlie Village Hall, says the silver surfers are using their skills to lobby for change:
“Our latest campaign, which is proving quite successful, is to encourage the growth of telemedicine, a technology which will be a great help for those of us in rural areas. So far we have met with John Swinney and Nicola Sturgeon to urge the government to make this a priority - and they are doing just that.”
