Age UK needs your vote to help fight loneliness and isolation

Shockingly, over one million older people have not seen a friend or family member in a whole month.

Age UK needs your support to fight loneliness and isolation by helping 16,000 older people to get online and get connected. The Charity is through to a public vote for a £500,000 Global Impact Award from Google’s Global Impact Challenge and is urging people to visit www.g.co/impactchallenge/ageuk to vote for their innovative project, which will open up a new online world for thousands of older people.

Age UK will pitch their innovative project - aimed at inspiring older people to get online, to a panel of prominent judges that includes Virgin founder, Sir Richard Branson and World Wide Web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee.

Commenting on the finalists, Judge, Sir Richard Branson said: “We have to celebrate the most creative charities and social entrepreneurs in our country. These charities set the bar for all of us and we should all look at how we can support them.

“You, the public, will choose one of the winners of the Global Impact Challenge. So take a good look at the ideas and join us in celebrating the UK non-profit community, technology, social entrepreneurs and helping improve people’s lives.”

The Global Impact Challenge supports organisations using technology and innovative approaches to tackle some of the world’s toughest human challenges. Age UK aims to fight loneliness and isolation by getting older people online.

David Mortimer, Head of Digital Inclusion for Age UK, said: “Age UK knows that technology can help reduce loneliness and combat isolation by providing the tools to enjoy hobbies and keep in touch with much-loved family and friends.

“There are over 5 million older people in the UK who have never been online and who are missing out on all the benefits it can offer. We aim to help older people get online and if we win the public vote we will be holding fun, informal training sessions across the country.”

“Our innovative idea is to inspire older people to reminisce, showing how wonderful memories can be re-visited by using online tools - to share music, search for classic films, get in touch with old and new friends, discover family connections as well as making daily chores like banking and booking appointments online easier. Age UK aims to help older people thrive in the modern, connected world.”

Everyone can help older people feel the positive effects of getting online, by voting for Age UK now; and be quick – voting closes on Friday 31 May.