Digital media hub set to launch in Amble

Amble is expanding its credentials as a centre for skills improvement as it launches a new digital hub for the area.
Ivor Rackham, photography tutor; Laura Mathieson, who teaches buying and selling and staying safe online; Anna Williams, from the Amble Development Trust; and Nathan Fuller, from Northumberland County Council's digital team.Ivor Rackham, photography tutor; Laura Mathieson, who teaches buying and selling and staying safe online; Anna Williams, from the Amble Development Trust; and Nathan Fuller, from Northumberland County Council's digital team.
Ivor Rackham, photography tutor; Laura Mathieson, who teaches buying and selling and staying safe online; Anna Williams, from the Amble Development Trust; and Nathan Fuller, from Northumberland County Council's digital team.

The Amble Digital Media Hub has been established by the Amble Development Trust, with support from Northumberland County Council.

A series of fun, free, digital media taster sessions and creative workshops will be held over the course of the next year, to help people improve their digital skills and encourage them to use their technology in more creative ways.

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Project manager Anna Williams said: “We are so pleased to be able to offer these digital media workshops to help people be more creative with their smartphones or tablets.

“Sometimes we get so used to seeing what other people have created, it’s refreshing to have the opportunity to be creative ourselves.

“The workshops will generally last around an hour or hour-and-a-half and will be held on weekdays, some evenings and some half-term afternoons in Fourways2 in Amble.

“Some sessions will be aimed at the whole family, so everyone can learn and have fun together.”

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The free workshops will cover subjects such as photography and editing, film making, coding, buying and selling online, digital music-making and wordpress. They will start in March and you can find out more online at http://bit.ly/2EQgDbFThe digital hub has initially been funded from the members’ small schemes budget of former Amble county councillor Robert Arckless.

The county council is also looking to agree grant funding to the hub for future work.

Coun Jeff Watson, ward member for Amble West with Warkworth, said: “As an authority we are committed to ensuring that everyone can learn, work and access all the services they need using digital connectivity and skills.

“As well as ensuring the best connectivity through the roll-out of high-speed broadband, this means helping communities and residents to make the best use of this through courses such as these.

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“Amble is an excellent example of a community that is embracing this challenge and the county council also wants to work with other communities across Northumberland to help them gain similar benefits.”

This initiative follows on from a very successful Code Club which has been running in Amble since 2016. Young people in the area have been learning the basics of computer programming after a successful funding bid helped purchase new IT equipment to set the club up.