14 March 2006

One thousand PCs for £50 help bridge the digital divide

Eastserve, the largest community based broadband project in Europe has one thousand PCs for as little as £50 available to local residents in the Ancoats, Beswick, Clayton, Openshaw, Miles Platting, Gorton and Newton Heath districts in east Manchester.  As well as a PC, the package includes a printer, three months free broadband connection and computer training.

Reconditioned PCs cost £50 and new PCs can be purchased for the heavily discounted rate of £200.  In addition, for as little as £6 per month, East Manchester residents can sign up to a package which includes fast speed, 'always' on broadband connection and training, a support centre, low cost repairs and a rapidly developing website that provides a range of services and information to residents and includes, amongst other things, well used forums, a range of interactive services and free e-mail. The Eastserve project is funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Sean McGonigle, East Manchester New Deal for Communities co-ordinator said: "Everyone in east Manchester now has the opportunity to bridge the digital divide. Bringing the internet to a deprived community can have a dramatic effect on educational attainment and increase employment opportunities for the local people as well as helping the community to communicate in a completely different way with other residents or statutory services." 

Maurice Gubbins, NWDA Area Manager for Greater Manchester, said: "Internet access can make a major difference to our local communities, providing an affordable way of keeping in touch, an easily accessible learning resource and helping to improve quality of life.  The NWDA is working to promote the usage of broadband throughout the region, particularly in disadvantaged communities, and we are pleased to support Eastserve, which is creating skills and employment opportunities for local residents of East Manchester."

For more information about Eastserve click on www.eastserve.com or call 0161 231 9580.

Ends

For further information contact Roz Hughes at New East Manchester on 0161 223 1155

Notes to editors

New East Manchester Ltd (NEM) is an Urban Regeneration Company - a partnership between Manchester City Council, English Partnerships and the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA).  It is NEM"s role to implement the Regeneration Framework, secure the required public and private funding, lead on specific major development projects as well as co-ordinate the range of regeneration and renewal initiatives in the area.

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) is responsible for the sustainable economic development and regeneration of England's Northwest and has five key priorities: Business, People and Jobs, Skills and Education, Infrastructure and Quality of Life.  For further information visit www.nwda.co.uk or www.englandsnorthwest.com.

Eastserve has been part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Since 2000, European Funding has invested over £800 million in the North West to provide jobs, growth and a secure and sustainable standard of living.  New East Manchester Ltd will have received a total of £58million ERDF funding between 2000-2008.