Wyre Forest residents benefit from introductory internet lessons On Friday 25th May, as part of Silver Surfers day, elderly Wyre Forest residents jumped onto the internet super highway in a bid to learn more about the wonders of the World Wide Web.

The Silver Surfing sessions, organised in partnership by Kidderminster College and The Community Housing Group, were special lessons held at Kidderminster Library designed to encourage elderly people to get online and see what the World Wide Web can offer them.

The internet is a resource that many of us can't live without, we shop, bank and catch up on all the news online but imagine if that facility was taken away - we'd be lost without it. With only eight out of ten elderly people able to use a computer, Silvers Surfers Day, part of Adult Learning Week, was set up in 2002 by national campaigning organisation, Digital Unite, and is now the biggest annual media literacy campaign to get older people throughout the UK online.

Bewdley resident David Cooley, who attended an afternoon Silver Surfing session at the library, said: "Once we were shown the basics I used the internet to look up ideas for my forthcoming holiday - I was really impressed with the choices of holiday on offer and how easy they were to find." Fellow Bewdley resident Joan Adams added: "I was so surprised at how easy the computer was to use, the session was interesting and I certainly won't be afraid of using computers again."

Denise Brownridge, marketing officer at Kidderminster College said: "Our silver surfing event was a tremendous success - everyone was so inspired and grateful to delve further into this whole new world which has been opened up to them. Hopefully we'll be doing more events like this with The Community Housing Group in the future.

With many Silver Surfers signing up to continue their adventure into the electronic age on an IT Skills course at Kidderminster College, elderly Wyre Forest residents are certainly be doing their bit to get online.

"The Silver Surfers session was absolutely brilliant," conclude Jean and Leonard Hill. "It is amazing what you can find and do on the World Wide Web; we'll certainly be spending hours on our computer now!"