Free digital skills training is being offered to local people at Keele University’s new community hub in Newcastle-under-Lyme by Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT). 

Starting in March, MPFT’s Digital Angels team will be based at Keele in Town, on Ironmarket in Newcastle-under-Lyme, every Tuesday and Wednesday from 10am to 3.30pm.   

Keele in Town was established earlier this year to be a gateway where residents, community groups and businesses can collaborate with the University and benefit from new learning and support opportunities, with these Digital Angels sessions marking the beginning of the facility’s programme of Digital Inclusion events. 

The MPFT team will provide training and support on anything digital, such as how to use a smartphone, tablet or laptop; how to make a call or text, how to securely navigate the internet and how to download and access the NHS app. Bring along any devices you have, and the Digital Angels will answer your questions.  

Complete beginners are welcome, and you don’t need your own device to access the training. The Digital Angels can also offer advice around options, budgets and suitability to anyone looking to purchase a device.  

The team are building on the success of workshops they deliver to older members of the community at a number of Staffordshire libraries, where they teach the digital skills required to help maintain independence and reduce isolation.  

Lucy Roberts, Digital Skills and Business Change Specialist Lead at MPFT, said: “The Digital Angels are looking forward to helping local people to enhance their digital skills. Please call in to see us. Anyone with a Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council postcode can access the support which is available on a walk-in basis – no appointment necessary.  

“As a University Trust, MPFT has long standing links with Keele University, and the chance to be based at Keele in Town is a great opportunity to develop those links further. Through MPFT’s Digital Strategy, we offer many approaches to tackle digital exclusion and reduce social isolation by upskilling local people with digital skills. The Trust is also committed to being a key driver in tackling digital poverty locally, regionally and nationally, working in partnership with other NHS organisations, councils and third sector organisations.”  

Claire Nicoll, Keele in Town Venue and Facilities Manager, added: “We look forward to hosting MPFT’s Digital Angels at Keele in Town. Located on Ironmarket, the mixed-use facility is a space where Staffordshire businesses and non-profit organisations can shine, along with areas for Keele students and staff to get together, to study, and to connect with the community. Keele in Town is kitted out with modern working and meeting spaces, offering digital connectivity to the community, and helping to drive productivity and boost skill levels in the area. We also have the added bonus of a café opening soon, which we hope will become a prime location for local people to meet.”

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