Martha Lane Fox leads search for Britain's digital heroes

Martha Lane Fox, the UK’s Digital Champion, is leading a call for Britain’s unsung Digital Heroes to come forward as part of a scheme run by TalkTalk, biggest provider of broadband to Britain’s homes.

The TalkTalk Digital Heroes Awards, in conjunction with Citizens Online, are the only awards of their kind in the UK. They reward 12 individuals, one from each region of the UK, who are doing outstanding work using digital technology to bring about positive social change and improve the lives of people in their local communities.

Martha Lane Fox said: “Hidden away in charities and local community groups across the UK are countless unsung digital heroes who recognise the positive impact the internet can have on everyday people’s lives.

“It is these heroes, who strive to make digital technology more accessible, relevant and fun for the people in their local communities, that the TalkTalk Digital Heroes Awards aim to celebrate and reward and I am delighted to offer my ongoing support of the initiative.”

Eleven of the Digital Heroes winners will win £5,000 to put towards enhancing their digital project, with one overall winner receiving a grand prize of £10,000. All 12 winners get free broadband from TalkTalk for 18 months.

Wendy Becker, managing director of TalkTalk, said: “The TalkTalk Digital Heroes Awards are a fantastic way of rewarding the hard work of individuals who are using digital technology to make Britain a better place to live. We know from the feedback we’ve received from previous winners that the prize money makes a massive difference to their projects and the number of people they can reach. We urge charities to nominate their digital heroes for this year’s awards so their amazing work can be recognised.”

John Fisher, Chief Executive, Citizens Online said: “Many people can find the internet daunting, but by developing exciting and innovative ways for people to use digital technologies, community organisations can encourage new users. These awards provide an excellent opportunity to deliver projects that can inspire individuals to start their own digital journeys.”

You can find out more information on the awards and how to enter at: talktalk.co.uk/digitalheroes. Entries are welcomed until early September.