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Silver Surfer training opens up new world for 6,000 in Galway
Age Action computer training opens up a new world for older people – more than 6,000 silver surfers in Galway city and county can attest to that
Age Action is a non-government organisation that promotes a positive approach to ageing and strives to provide better services to older people in our communities.As part of this,
BY ROBERT GRACE
Age Action centres around the country provide ‘getting started’ classes in the use of computers and the internet to people over 55.
The programme is part of a campaign against digital exclusion and has been running for eight years, which have seen more than 6,000 in Galway alone avail of the service.
Classes take place in libraries, community centres, family resource centres and housing complexes for older people around the county.
Niamh Hennelly is a Development Officer at Age Action’s offices in Galway. “The computer classes we provide can open up a whole new world for older people. Our volunteers teach people the basics of computer use,” she explains.
“We begin with teaching students how to switch on a computer and progress to surfing the internet and sending and receiving emails. Beginners can progress to improver classes which involve teaching them how to use social media among other things.
“Many of the people in these classes have their own Facebook account,” she says. “However, more are interested in learning how to internet shop, send emails and use Skype. Many older people now use the internet to keep in contact with family members that have left the country.”
The computer classes in Galway run for two hours a week over a four week period. All the tutors involved are volunteers of all ages who come and share their skills with older people. They provide one-to-one training to ensure people get the best guidance possible.
Imelda O’Sullivan is one of those who recently began taking computer classes with Age Action West. “I got a present of a computer from my brother some time ago but I had no idea how to use it,” she says.
“First I learned all about Google and how to navigate the internet in general. Now I am constantly emailing and soon I will move on to learning how to Skype. I have family in England and China and I could not afford to keep ringing them on the telephone,” she explains.
Imelda is particularly grateful for the one-to-one training provided by Age Action, and is quick to mention her own tutor, James, for his efforts. “I took a computer class a few years ago and I found that everyone in it was streets ahead of me,” she explains. “With James, I can move entirely at my own pace and go back over things a number of times if necessary.”
Age Action provides several other worthwhile services for older members of the community. Irish and Spanish lessons, reminiscence training, book clubs, creative writing classes and care and repair services are just some of the initiatives on offer.
The achievements of Imelda and thousands more like her is testament to both the quality of Age Action’s training programme and to the manner in which digital inclusion can stimulate the lives of older people in the community.
But as with many others involved in the voluntary sector, the Getting Started initiative is run on stretched funding.
The Department of Communication, Energy and Natural Resources provides grants as part of its digital inclusion programme and Age Action has also been involved in a fund raising initiative with Innocent Smoothie Company.
The ‘Big Knit’ campaign encouraged supporters to knit small woolly hats that fit around the top of the company’s Smoothie bottles.
Then, 25 cent from every bottle sold is donated to Age Action and campaigners have targeted a figure of 65,000 little hats for this year. While these initiatives are important fundraisers, Age Action welcomes contributions from the general community.
Further information regarding the work of Age Action West can be found on the charity’s home page at www.ageaction.ie/age-action-west People can also telephone 091 527828 or email aaw@eircom.net
Some 60 tourism companies from Ireland attended ‘Flavours of Ireland’ 2022 in London last week – including Connemara Wild Escapes, DK Connemara Oysters and Killary Fjord Boat Tours.
‘Flavours’ is Tourism Ireland’s annual B2B tourism workshop, where tourism companies from Ireland meet and do business with top global inbound tour operators.
Now in its 20th year, ‘Flavours’ took place in the Guildhall, in the City of London, and was attended by around 100 global inbound tour operators who deliver business from all over the world, including the United States, Mainland Europe, Asia, Australasia and Africa.
‘Flavours’ provides an excellent opportunity for the participating tourism providers from Galway and Ireland to highlight and sell their tourism product and build valuable relationships with the key decision-makers in attendance.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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From the Galway City Tribune – The Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) has asked Galway City Council to roll back material alterations to the new City Development Plan proposed by councillors.
In July, elected members voted through a raft of changes to zonings in the Draft City Development Plan 2023-29, which went out on public display.
But the Planning Regulator has now warned City Hall that many of the proposed changes do not comply with the OPR’s recommendations, and are contrary to national planning guidelines.
The OPR specifically highlighted problems with proposals to rezone as residential land deemed at risk of flooding.
Anne Marie O’Connor, Deputy Regulator, wrote to the Council’s Planning Department outlining the OPR’s fresh advice on the changes to the draft plan proposed and approved by councillors.
The draft plan will come before elected members again this month.
Councillors will be asked to row back on some of their previous material alterations, which ran contrary to advice of the OPR.
Ms O’Connor said the OPR welcomed many of the changes made by the City Council in its draft plan. She said, however, that the OPR “has a number of outstanding concerns relating to the response of the planning authority to its recommendations and to a number of proposed material alterations relating to the zoning of lands”.
These relate to changes that conflict with national and regional objectives for compact growth; with legislative requirements regarding climate action and core strategies; and with rezoning land at risk of flooding.
The OPR highlighted a dozen or more material alterations by councillors that are “not consistent” with the National Planning Framework for compact growth.
These include re-zoning of land from agricultural or recreational and amenity to residential.
The changes voted on by councillors, the OPR noted, were done against the advice of the Council’s Chief Executive Brendan McGrath.
The OPR said the changes proposed by councillors represented a “piecemeal approach” to zoning and were “inconsistent” with national policy.
These comments related to proposed rezoning of land at Rahoon; Dublin Road; Quarry Road, Menlo; Ballindooley; off Circular Road; Menlo village; Roscam and Barna Woods.
The OPR also raised “significant concerns” over five material alterations proposed for residential zonings of land at Western Distributor Road; Terryland; Menlo Village; Headford Road and Barna Woods which are located within flood zones.
The approach by councillors “may place people and property at unnecessary risk from future flood events”, the OPR warned.
Ms O’Connor told planners that if the draft plan ignores the OPR advice or is at odds with its recommendations, the Council Chief Executive must inform the OPR in writing the reasons for doing so.
Save Roscam Peninsula in a 33-page submission to the draft plan echoed many of the concerns outlined by the OPR.
The Council has pencilled in four dates in November and December to approve the plan.
It will meet on November 21, 24 and 28 and December 1 when material alterations will be voted on individually.
This article first appeared in the print edition of the Galway City Tribune, November 4. You can support our journalism by subscribing to the Galway City Tribune HERE. The print edition is in shops every Friday.
JOHN HARNEY from Mountpleasant first joined the Ballinasloe Horse and Agriculture Show Committee, all of 60-years ago, on April 24, 1962. Both John and the show are still going strong as they celebrate their 183rd event on this Sunday. Here, he looks back on his involvement with this iconic show through the years.
THE Ballinasloe Show back in the early 1960s was going well with both the Showgrounds and Duggan Park both used for running the competitions.
My first introduction to the show was stewarding the pony competitions in the Mountpleasant end of the Duggan Park with the rest of the GAA field being used for trade stands.
At that time, it was a very big show with horses, ponies, cattle and sheep, pigs and fowl – also there was a big garden and farm produce section as well as a home craft and baking section with flowers and plants supported by a very large women’s committee.
At that time, showjumping took place in the afternoon with the top riders in the country taking part. I was elected Chairman at the AGM in 1975, a position I held for ten years.
During that time, the Duggan Park Committee approached the Show Committee for a piece of the showgrounds behind the GAA Stand for dressing rooms.
This was brought up a number of times at our committee meetings, and at first, the view was that the Duggan Park Committee would buy the ground.
However, after much deliberation it was decided by the Show Committee to ‘give the ground’ for the sum of £1 with the proviso that the dressingrooms could be used on show days by the local ICA to do catering for the event.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
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