Finalist category: IT Volunteer of the Year Award 2014
T4GCraigOB
IT Volunteer of the Year, Winner, 2014
Age UK Trafford is a local charity that helps older people get online in a fun, informal environment. With the help of volunteers they arrange drop-in sessions and run five-week courses in local libraries, opening up opportunities for those in later life, as well as follow on courses. Attendees can also meet up after they have completed the course, to practice their new found skills.
Craig Oxley Brookes has been volunteering since the very beginning, back in 2008, juggling a full-time job as well as other voluntary roles at the same time. He goes above and beyond in his voluntary role, offering home visits and helping attendees progress from being unable to switch on a computer, to sending and receiving emails, and using Skype to keep in touch with relatives.
“Craig has been instrumental in helping set up the courses in the library. As a local member of the community he engages easily with people and many know him in his various roles. Craig, along with his assistant Maureen, has run many courses at the local library and has helped many people get online and this has resulted in opening up so many opportunities for people in later life.
Craig goes out of his way to help people, and his assistance does not stop at the course he runs – he gives every person on the course his personal number so that they can contact him with any issues and he thinks nothing of making a home visit to people to sort out any problems they may have. ”
Karen Duffy, Project Development Manager, Age UK Trafford
Craig’s enthusiasm and patience has supported hundreds of people get back online, and as a result Silver Surfers now have waiting lists of people wanting to sign up.
To find out more about Silver Surfers and Age UK Trafford, click here to visit their website:
