A NEW £5.8 million lottery scheme to give everyday digital skills to people, including those in Bradford, with sight and hearing loss is ready for takers keen to get connected and get online.

The RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) has about 100 volunteers on hand to help people overcome barriers of getting online and benefitting from technology.

Eighty-year-old John Allison, of Idle Road, Eccleshill, is one of those who has already signed up to get help from the UK-wide Online Today project.

And he urged more people to do so and take advantage of it so they can get to grips with the new lease of life technology can give them.

The former local government officer, was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration in 2004 and has been on treatment since 2008 to slow it down but his hobby of reading books and researching local history has been affected.

He said: "I used to be a great reader of many books but my condition made that difficult. I have audio-books now. It's fantastic what's out there for blind and partially-sighted people.

"The technology is wonderful - you can even get a GPS that will talk you round town. I'm looking forward to finding out more and I think others should ask for this training as well. I go on the internet for a group conversation on a Monday - there's about six of us. One of my friends does everything with his computer, he gets his supermarket shopping delivered. It reads his list out to him."

He added: "People can be a bit frightened of new technology but it's just a case of getting the information and giving it a go. I've got a new tablet and my granddaughter Francesca has even put me some music on it."

The UK-wide Online Today project will be delivered by leading sight loss charity RNIB with the support of 37 delivery partners including Action for Blind People, Action on Hearing Loss, Guide Dogs and Sense.

Training will be given through a series of workshops, surgeries, one-to-one sessions and even home visits, giving help how to browse the internet and use smartphones, tablets and computers."

Neil Heslop, managing director of RNIB Solutions, said: “Online Today will deliver the skills, training and confidence that will make a huge difference to so many people’s lives and will make sure they’re not being excluded from today’s digital world.”

Online Today is open to anyone over the age of 18 who has sight or hearing loss. Anyone who would like to find out more about how Online Today may be able to help them or a friend or relative or would like to find out about volunteering can call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 1239999 or email onlinetoday@rnib.org.uk.