Members of the new computer club based at Doorway are improving their computer skills with help from the eChippenham project.

Emma Jane, eChippenham's Community Agent, has been running the informal sessions since August 2007 and guests at Doorway are really enjoying the Club: "It has been very enjoyable and useful to come here," said Julian. "The lessons are relaxed and fun and Emma is very friendly and helpful." Phil said it was "great tuition by a great tutor!"

Margeret Cleverley, Project Manager at Doorway, said: "The aim of these sessions is to build people's confidence at using the computer and surfing the net. We hope that it will also help some of our guests to go on and get better jobs as a result."

"Many of us now take for granted that we can get good deals by shopping online and access all sorts of helpful information on the Internet" says Karen Moore, Support Services Manager for Doorway, "but many guests find the idea of using a computer quite daunting, so they miss out. Guests are really enjoying the Club. I am sure that some will ow have the confidence to go out and do certificated courses which may give them more opportunities to find better paid work."

2007 was a very busy year for Emma and she logged over 1000 teaching sessions between different eChippenham sites - at Waste Not Want Not's shop in Hungerdown Lane; at Parklands sheltered housing scheme on Malmesbury Road; at the Town Hall; and more recently at Doorway.

Emma said: "I feel privileged that I've had the opportunity to teach and help so many people in the Chippenham area with computer and internet skills, as well as work in partnership with other charitable organisations within North Wiltshire such as Doorway, Help the Aged, MIND and the Women's Refuge. One person can make a difference - and I am impassioned about making a difference in 2008!" .

Doorway would like to thank Westlea for their continued support.