AN energy supplier has warmed the hearts of two Lake District charities hoping to spark an interest in digital skills.

Both Action for Children and the Cumbria District of the Methodist Church have been awarded £1,000 from E.ON’s Digital Action Fund.

The cash boost will enable both groups to purchase IT equipment to be used at drop-in sessions by specially trained staff and volunteers to help the wider community to get online and learn digital skills, such as accessing websites, completing online forms and managing emails.

Angie Milfull, Family Support Worker for Action for Children, said: “We’re delighted to have been awarded this funding which will help us support local families.

“Increasingly services are moving online, from application forms, job searches and applying for council properties to name but a few.

“As Digital Champions we hope to help many families realise the benefits the internet can offer to everyone.”

Acting as ‘Digital Champions’, they will share their knowledge across Cumbria with local residents, leaving them able to apply for jobs online and save money through online shopping and price comparison websites.

Martyn Evans, a Digital Champion on the Leadership Team of the Cumbria District of the Methodist Church, said: “Like Action for Children, we’ve seen the need to extend online skills locally, and by taking our mobile online centre to a large proportion of the 100 churches in the District we expect to reach as many people as possible, including non-church members.”

The fund is part of E.ON’s involvement with digital skills charity Go ON UK, which recently launched a programme of activity in the North West, supported by E.ON.

Working with a number of partners, Go ON North West is aiming to reduce the number of people in the region who are without basic online skills.

Simon Gilby, Digital Excellence Manager at E.ON, added: “We know from research one in five adults in the UK don’t yet have basic online skills, and these people are missing out on all of the benefits that the internet can bring, from keeping in touch with friends and family, to easily paying bills online."