News Release

10th September 2009

CULTURE SECRETARY VISITS SWITCHOVER HELP SCHEME COMMUNITY PROJECT

Culture Secretary, Ben Bradshaw, will see how older and disabled people are being offered help and advice with switchover when he visits a Switchover Help Scheme community project in Salford on Friday, 11 September.

The BBC-run Help Scheme helps older and disabled people make the change to digital TV by converting one of their television sets to digital. One million people who are aged 75 and over or eligible for certain disability benefits have been offered help across the Granada TV region will begin switching on 4 November and be completed on 2 December this year.

The Culture Secretary will drop in at the Cadishead Community Centre where Community Champions from the Salford Foundation will talk about the Help Scheme to local residents of sheltered housing and people with learning disabilities.

Voluntary sector and community groups across the North West have been lending a helping hand to the Help Scheme to reach those older and disabled people most at risk of losing their TV services at switchover.

The Help Scheme has been working closely with The Salford Foundation in the North West to achieve this aim. The charity recruits volunteers ‘Community Champions’ who deliver information, advice and guidance to local residents.

ENDS

Press contact

Alison Dwyer
PR Director
Smith & Smith PR Limited
Tel: 0161 236 5560
Mob: 07942 800790

Notes to Editors

Switchover Help Scheme

The Switchover Help Scheme is run by the BBC through an agreement with the Government to help older and disabled people make the change to digital.

In the run-up to switchover in each region, every eligible person will be offered practical help to convert one of their TV sets to digital. People are eligible if they are aged 75 years or more, or if they are registered blind or partially sighted, have lived in a care home for six months or more. Also eligible are people who get (or could get) attendance or constant attendance allowance, mobility supplement, or disability living allowance.

Most people will be asked to contribute £40 towards the help. The service is free for people who are eligible and also get pension credit, income support or income-based jobseekers allowance.

More information is available by visiting helpscheme.co.uk

The Salford Foundation

Salford Foundation is a social inclusion charity that supports the personal, social, vocational and academic development of people in Salford and the Greater Manchester area. Since its inception the charity has grown from an employee base of two to over 80. The charities objective is to create the greatest range of development opportunities for young people and adults. Projects include employability initiatives such as support services and mentoring, raising aspirations projects and solutions to barriers to work or training.