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The Cabinet Office has recently announced the recruitment of 100,000 Big Society ‘Digital Champions’ by UK Digital Champion, Martha Lane Fox.

The local volunteers will support millions of adults online by the time the Olympics comes to Britain. The champions are employees and users of a range of services – from Age UK to local libraries. 

Welcoming the announcement, the Prime Minister said: 

Today there are nine million adults in the UK who have never used the internet - and nearly half of them are among our most disadvantaged people. That’s why the work Martha Lane Fox is doing as the UK’s Digital Champion is so important. And it’s also why I’m so keen for everyone to get behind Race Online 2012 and its ambition to get as many people online as possible by the time of the London Olympics. 

"Already we are making encouraging progress. Since Martha launched her Manifesto for a Networked Nation in Downing Street last July, we’ve seen eleven hundred partners of all sizes and sectors get on board. 

“But we need to go further. And often it is the impact of volunteers that can make the biggest difference.  So today I am delighted to welcome the announcement of 100,000 new local Digital Champion volunteers - the UK’s biggest ever cross-sector volunteer force and a make a massive plea to those of you who aren’t yet involved, to sign up now. 

“By supporting this vital campaign we really can become the first nation in the world to get everyone online and ensure that something the vast majority of us take for granted can be enjoyed by all of us.

The Prime Minister and Francis Maude also welcomed Martha Lane Fox’s announcement that partners of her Race Online 2012 organisation will provide new low-cost recycled computer products for the first time, helping low-income families to get online. 

Martha Lane Fox said: 

Today is a massive step forward in our ambition to create a truly remarkable digital UK when the internet is a tool that everybody can use for their benefit. Race Online 2012 always intended to solve the critical social and economic issues that arise when people are left behind as technology advances. By bringing together an extraordinary mix of cross-sector partners we aim to eliminate the three major barriers that we know prevent people from getting online – access, motivation and skills. Today we are beginning to address all of these by creating a massive local digital champion network aimed at giving people advice, support and assistance on a local level and by kick-starting a low cost recycled marketplace.

Notes to editors 

1. The digital champion volunteer force is made up from employees and users of organisations across the public, private and charity sectors including: 
   
   Post Office – 6500
   Public libraries – 5000
   Home library service – 25
   Jobcentre Plus - 820
   National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) – 300
   BT – 10,000
   John Lewis – 21,000
   Talktalk -250
   Comet - 3000
   Mecca - 103
   02 - 350
   UK Online centres – 20,000
   Beatbullying - 10,000
   Age UK - 23,000
   
   Become a Digital Champion
   To find out more about how to be a digital champion, including how to join the champion network, inspire people to start using the internet and how to signpost to great starter packages see www.helppassiton.co.uk
   
   
2. Race Online 2012’s ambition is for the UK to be the world's first 'networked nation' where everyone can use the web. 
3. For more information on Digital Champions and low cost PC products contact:
   Will Brown
   Email: will.brown@freud.com
   Phone: 020 3003 6471
4. Martha Lane Fox conducted a strategic review of Directgov in 2010. Her report, Directgov 2010 and Beyond: Revolution Not Evolution, to Francis Maude of 14 October said: