Northumberland News Winter 2018

COMMUNITY NEWS
SERVICE MARKS 100 YEARS TO
THE DAY WOMEN COULD VOTE
On Friday 14th December Northumberland County
Council is hosting a celebration and thanksgiving
“100 years to the day” when some women could,
for the first time, vote in a General Election.
The event will be held in St Mary’s Church, Morpeth and will
link this anniversary with the crucial importance of the roles
played by women in WW1.
Everyone is welcome to join this celebration and thanksgiving.
THE
SERVICE WILL
RUN FROM
12 NOON
UNTIL 12.45
MAKE SURE YOU ARE
REGISTERED TO VOTE
Our electoral service team is currently
producing the county’s register of electors
for the coming year. They have recently
delivered over 150,000 household enquiry
forms across the county and are currently
following up with reminder activity where
a response has yet to be received. If you
were unable to respond to the first form
you received, please be certain to
respond to your reminder form.
HOME MOVERS - HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN SOMETHING?
One of the biggest reasons that people fall off the electoral register is by simply
moving house. When people move house they usually remember to contact their banks
and utilities providers with new address details but they often forget to update their
electoral registration details.
If you’ve moved house in recent months and haven’t taken steps to re-register with
your new address you can register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
The “hidden” benefits to registering - Lenders use the electoral register to
help confirm your identity before they will consider offering credit. Being on
the register could help you get a loan, mortgage and credit cards.
COULD YOU BE A
DIGITAL CHAMPION?
The online and digital world can be tricky to negotiate for large
numbers of Northumberland residents - and especially so for those
with no online access at all.
That’s why we’re calling for volunteers to
help local people to get to grips with
computers and take their first steps online.
You don’t need to be an IT wizard -
although if you are that would be great
- you just need a bit of patience and IT
know-how, to help them build their
confidence to get online.
Participants range from the elderly to
younger manual workers who have never
had call to use computers.
You will be showing them the basics IT
skills such as getting online for the first
time, or teaching them how to upload
digital photos, hunt for jobs, shop and
bank online or keep in touch with family
and friends using Facebook, email or Skype.
Volunteers would need to be able to get
access to a local library where the sessions
are held.
Digital Champion, Allan Wilson said:
“It’s a voluntary but very rewarding role.
To see someone leave with a smile on
their face when they have been provided
with skills and knowledge that enable
them to better handle the requirements
of a modern digital world make it
especially satisfying and worthwhile.”
INTERESTED IN GETTING
INVOLVED?
To find out more about becoming a digital
champion contact Fiona Corbett by emailing:
fiona.corbett@northumberland.gov.uk.
Digital Champion at Hexham Library,
Allan Wilson
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