[Fsfe-uk] community awards

[Richard Smedley]

This may be of interest to anyone involved in a community 
project that features Internet access. And, of course, it
would be great for a Free Software project to win :-)

- Richard


-----Forwarded Message-----

AOL UK and Citizens Online launch AOL Innovation in the Community Awards

Date:

Wednesday 19 March 2003 10:04:03 am



NEWS RELEASE 


AOL UK and Citizens Online launch AOL Innovation in the Community Awards
to 
help local communities enjoy the benefits of the Internet

Community groups across the UK can apply for an AOL Innovation in the 
Community Award of £2,000 from today



19 March 2003

A new national awards scheme - the AOL Innovation in the Community
Awards - 
launches today to help community groups across the UK make the most of
being 
online.  

AOL, the UK's leading online interactive services provider, has teamed
up 
with national charity Citizens Online to offer 15 awards of £2,000 each
plus a 
year's free subscription to 
AOL*.  Community groups that already use the Internet and those that
want to get online for the first time are invited to submit applications
by 6 June 2003.


AOL and Citizens Online are launching the awards in a bid to bring the 
Internet to local communities that are not currently in a position to
make the 
most of being 
online.  Community groups working in areas such as children, disability,
the elderly, regeneration, and social activities can apply for an award
to support anything to do with the online medium from broadband access,
computers and website design to security improvements, a marketing
campaign for a Web course, or even to buy kitchen equipment so that the
group can prepare refreshments for while they are online**.


Representatives of groups interested in applying for an award simply
need to 
complete an application form, which includes an explanation about how
the 
£2,000 award would be used for their online project and the impact it
would 
have on the local community.  Application packs are available for
download at 
www.aol.co.uk/innovation or www.citizensonline.org.uk/aolawards
.  Alternatively, interested applicants can call the special hotline on
020 7348 8390 or email 
address@hidden
 to request a pack.   Information about the Awards is also available at
AOL Keyword: Innovation Awards. 


Commenting on the Awards, Citizens Online chief executive John Fisher
says, 
"The Internet is a fantastic resource for local community groups - for 
communication, research, and providing information about the group
itself via 
its own website, for 
example.  Cost prevents many groups from getting online for the first
time or improving existing facilities though.  This is where the AOL
Innovation in the Community Awards come in."  


Karen Thomson, CEO of AOL UK, has a message for community groups, "We
want to 
help local communities make the most of the online 
world.  A youth club might need specialist equipment to help everyone in
the club enjoy the Internet, a parents' group might want to improve
security for its existing IT equipment, or a Web course might benefit
from a local marketing campaign - as long as the project is
non-commercial and involves the Internet in some way, we would encourage
community groups to apply for an AOL Innovation in the Community Award."


* Winners will receive a year's free AOL Flat Rate subscription worth
£164.89 
subject to Terms and Conditions.
** Applicants must fulfil the entry criteria for the AOL Innovation in
the 
Community Awards and agree to the Terms and Conditions (details in
application 
pack)



- Ends -



Notes to Editors

For further information about the AOL Innovation in the Community
Awards, 
please contact:

Vicky Prior
AOL UK
020 7348 8093
address@hidden

About the AOL Innovation in the Community Awards

The AOL Innovation in the Community Awards were set up by AOL (UK)
Limited 
and Citizens Online (Charity registration No. 1087794) to encourage
local 
communities to get the most out of the online world and to help bridge
the 
digital 
divide.  The Awards launched on 19 March 2003.  Full entry criteria and
Terms and Conditions for the Awards can be found at  
www.aol.co.uk/innovation or www.citizensonline.org.uk/aolawards
 and on the application pack.

Entry to the AOL Innovation in the Community Awards is open to community
groups across the UK in areas such as disability, elderly, ethnic, 
environment, parents, schooling, sports, residents associations and 
regeneration projects. The Awards organisers require a reference from
either 
the Charity Commission (charity number) or the group's Local Authority
(a 
letter recognising it as a non-profit 
organisation).  Groups can apply for the award to cover elements of
their online project such as broadband access, hardware, marketing,
security for existing hardware and training - as long as it involves the
online medium in some way.  


15 awards to the value of £2,000 are available and will be payable by 
cheque.  Each winning organisation will also receive a year's sponsored
AOL account worth £164.89, subject to Terms and Conditions.  The winners
will also be eligible to apply for one further discretionary award of
£5,000 that will be awarded approximately eight months after the
original closing date.  


The application form, which includes space for a 500 word (max) summary
about 
how the group would use the award and the impact it would have on the
local 
community, can be obtained:
--    At www.aol.co.uk/innovation or www.citizensonline.org.uk/aolawards
 (downloadable PDF format)
--    By calling the special hotline on 020 7348 8390 or
-- By emailing address@hidden
Applications must be submitted in hard copy (by post or by hand to the 
address provided on the form) between 19 March and 6 June 2003.   

Shortlisted applicants will receive a visit from an Innovation in the 
Community Awards representative before final winners are 
announced.  Winning entries will be selected by a judging panel of four
on 11 July and the winners will be notified by post around 18 July
2003.  


About AOL UK

AOL is the leading online interactive services provider to the UK, with
more 
than two million members. AOL offers a range of interactive online
services in 
the UK, including flat-rate, broadband and mobile, as well as unrivalled
content and community for all the family.

Members spend more than one hour a day online on average, enjoying
access to 
AOL's 23 channels of online content, from Entertainment and News to
Parenting, 
Shopping and Your Money, as well as email and the Internet. All AOL
members in 
the UK have access to freephone customer support. 

AOL UK's Community Investment Programme seeks to extend the benefits of
the 
online medium to those who would most benefit from it, but are often the
least 
likely to obtain access through traditional 
means.  Priority areas are youth and people with disabilities,
particularly those outside of mainstream education. 


AOL (UK) Limited is part of AOL Europe, a business unit of America
Online, 
Inc., which is the world's leading interactive services company with
more than 
35 million members worldwide. America Online, Inc. is a division of AOL
Time 
Warner, the world's leading media and entertainment company.

About Citizens Online

Citizens Online is an independent national charity established to
explore the 
social and cultural impact of the 
Internet.  As an organisation, it is dedicated to promoting access to IT
and the Internet, for all members of society.


Citizens Online works in partnership with Government, industry and
voluntary 
and community organisations, to bring together the resources and
expertise 
across all 
sectors.  It is committed to ensuring that those who do not have access
to IT and the Internet have the opportunities to do so if they wish.


For further information about Citizens Online please contact:

Catherine Maxwell
National Project Manager
01793 88 28 00 
address@hidden
www.citizensonline.org.uk

Vicky Prior
Communications Manager, AOL UK

AOL (UK) Ltd.
80 Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UD
United Kingdom

email:       address@hidden
URL:         www.media.aol.co.uk
givenow.org - AOL UK's recommended destination for online giving

Tel:           +44 (0) 20 7348 8093
Fax:          +44 (0) 20 7348 8002

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