Residents will get the chance to boost their IT and computer skills over the next six months in a series of free classes aimed at getting Wythenshawe online.

The Get Online Wythenshawe initiative run by Wythenshawe Community Housing Group features a computer recycling centre that refurbishes computers and sells them at a discounted rate to Wythenshawe residents.

And over the next six months, residents will be able to access skills courses on how to use IT facilities at the following venues:

• Woodhouse Park Lifestyle Centre – Wednesdays: 1:00pm-2:30pm; Thursdays: 1:00pm -2:30pm
• Tree of Life, Greenbrow Road – Fridays: 10.30am-12.00pm
• Royal Oak Community Centre – Tuesdays: 10:30am-12:00pm; Wednesdays: 1:00pm-2:30pm
• Benchill Community Centre – Tuesdays: 1:00pm-2:30pm; Wednesdays: 10:30pm-12:00pm

Trafford-based social housing procurement consortium, Procure Plus, has recently begun work with local digital training initiative by donating vital pieces of computer equipment.

The GOW pilot project is aimed at tackling the “digital divide” to help improve the skills of Wythenshawe residents by offering IT tutorials and reduced price desk top computers and laptops.

Chris Bennett, systems support officer at Procure Plus, commented: “Being digitally literate is increasingly important for our members’ residents, particularly with the introduction of the Government’s ‘Digital by Default’ initiative, which means benefit forms and submissions are increasingly web based.

“Local employment, training and education opportunities are vital for community regeneration and development and, by donating computer equipment to GOW, we’re helping Wythenshawe residents improve their prospects online.”