Bracknell

Silver surfers at a Bracknell Forest sheltered housing scheme are back in the fast-lane on the electronic superhighway after a generous donation by a national pharmaceutical company.

Residents at Liscombe House in Birch Hill, Bracknell were distraught when their PC was snatched by thieves in March and free internet lessons, given by a resident's great grandson, had to be suspended for the foreseeable future.

But thanks to the generosity of Procter and Gamble a new computer is now sitting proudly in the unit's communal area and is hooked up to the internet ready for lessons to begin again and for residents to enjoy.

Procter and Gamble donated the computer after employee Diane Allen, whose mother is a tenant at Liscombe House, told her bosses how upset everyone at the Birch Hill unit had become since the theft.

Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Bracknell Forest, Cllr Bob Edger, received the computer from Brian Perry, Procter and Gamble's Community Matters Manager, on behalf of the tenants on Thursday (July 26) morning and it has since been set up in a new and secure location.

Pearl Paternoster, Manager of Liscombe House, said: "Everyone is so pleased that Procter and Gamble very generously donated this computer. It was such a blow to have the old one stolen because residents really like using it and the free lessons they'd been having had really boosted their confidence and enjoyment of it.

"Thanks to the new computer residents have already started using the internet again and are eagerly waiting for the lessons to start up so that they can increase their IT skills even further."

Bracknell Cllr Edger added: "On behalf of all the residents and staff at Liscombe House I'd like to say a big thank you to Procter and Gamble for the new computer. Without its help the residents would have had to wait a lot longer to get a new computer but thankfully due to this donation they are now fully logged on to the internet and looking forward to their IT lessons resuming."

Brian Perry, Procter and Gamble Community Matters Manager for Egham, said: " Procter and Gamble were only too pleased to be able to help this group of residents who prove that you're never too old to learn. We wish them many hours of enjoyment surfing the world wide web and being able to communicate with their grand children and great grand children using the language and tools of the 21st century."

Bracknell Forest Borough Council