Matthew Barber helps older people get safe online

Last week, Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Barber, attended a digital support clinic run by Age UK Oxfordshire to see how £10,000 of funding from his Community Fund is helping older people get online safely and confidently.

Matthew said: “Much of our daily lives now exists online but the internet can be an intimidating place for older people.

“Sessions such as these, run in the community by trusted organisations, are important to help older people learn tools that will boost their confidence online. They are also an opportunity to educate older people about the different types of scams and how to avoid them be that online, on the phone, on the doorstep or through the mail.

“Fraud is the most common crime experienced by adults in the UK with older people particularly vulnerable to the tactics of scammers so I was pleased to support the work of Age UK Oxfordshire with a £10,000 grant from my Community Fund.”

Nicola Luxton, Deputy Head of Community Development at Age UK Oxfordshire, said: “We are so pleased to have received vital funding for our digital support sessions from the Thames Valley Community Fund. These sessions enable us support older people to safely access the online world and reduce the risk of them becoming a victim of fraud or a scam.”