Neil Craig: 'a great deal of patience'

Anita Smith has nominated family friend Neil Craig for our Home Computing Hero award. According to Anita, Neil has in abundance the one quality that all computer helpers need when introducing newcomers to home PCs and the internet.

"He had a great deal of patience as he went through setting me up with an email address and showing me how to send emails. He also helped set up things such as online bill payments and internet banking, which have made my life far easier. He also made sure that I had good anti-virus software installed which really eased my mind," said Anita.

Going online for the first time can cause worry with so many scare stories about fraudsters but Neil helped Anita's father-in-law avoid a type of scam that has been becoming more widespread of late, as Anita explains.

"Somebody called my elderly father in law pretending to be from Microsoft and  gained access to his PC and all of the information stored on it. Neil went round and immediately unplugged his PC before sorting it all out for him later."

We think it's testament to Neil's patience willingness to help that Anita and her family are still using a PC after such an experience, and that's why Neil Craig is now on our longlist for Computeractive's Home Computer Hero of 2011.

Find out more
Find out how to nominate yourself, a friend or relative, or a local computer group for our Home Computing Heroes award

Nominate a local business for our Business Hero award (business awards given to non profit-making schemes only)

Find out more about Home Computing Heroes 2011