Silver Surfers of the Year announced

A loyal Computeractive reader is among the proud winners of the Silver Surfer of the Year Awards 2006.

The Awards, now in their fifth year, celebrate older people who are embracing the internet and all the opportunities it offers.

Judges from Microsoft, Intel, BT and Age Concern chose winners in three categories: Silver Surfer Entrepreneur of the Year, Silver Surfer of the Year (plus two runners-up), and Silver Surfer Council of the Year.

Jim Tuckwell, 77, of Andover, Hants, was chosen as the Silver Surfer of the Year 2006. When his sheltered housing scheme offered a computer course in 2002 he signed up and has never looked back.

He works with a local school on an intergenerational project on bullying called 'Daphne the Decoy Duck'."I'd be lost without my computer. I look forward to the new challenges it presents," said Jim.

The runner-up in the Silver Surfer of the Year category is Jennifer Drury, 60, of Brighton who says she reads every issue of Computeractive. "It's a great magazine and I love the advice I get both from Computeractive, and also from asking friends and family," she said.

Jennifer has taught herself to be an 'internet junkie', which has led to her work as a volunteer co-ordinator at www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk , which lists information about Brighton and Hove.

The other runner-up was David Dartnall-Smith, 52, of Scarborough, North Yorkshire, who had to give up his job because of severe arthritis.

Four years on, he's working full-time, after he taught himself to teach sight impaired people, and how to use the magnification and talking software which lets them use their computers, at the Scarborough Blind and Partially Sighted Society's Resource Centre.

Silver Surfer Entrepreneur of the Year was Brenda Ferguson, 58, of Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire. She developed her skills through Learn Direct courses only four years ago and, last year, opened an internet café called The Mousehole, in Fraserburgh.

Silver Surfer Council of the Year was Hampshire County Council, which organised 101 events during Silver Surfer Week. Its community support team encouraged community groups to take part, including some that had reservations about IT for older people.

The Silver Surfer of the Year Awards 2006 were run in partnership by Digital Unite (formerly Hairnet) and Age Concern, who both work to bridge the " digital divide" so that older people can reap the benefits of technologies such as the internet and digital television.

Age Concern and Digital Unite said that they were delighted with the response to the Awards.

"The range of activities illustrated by this year’s nominees and the endeavours of the winners, show that the internet is ageless. Our Silver Surfer winners prove that older people are adept at using the internet in ways that are relevant to their lives and very creative,” a representative said.

The official celebration ceremony will be held at the House of Commons on 16 October.

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