People with visual impairments in Rotherham can now surf the net with ease thanks to new computer software at local libraries provided by the Decent Homes Community Partnership Fund.

State-of-the-art computer software - Supernova - is now available at five libraries across the borough - Central Library (three computers), Dinnington, Maltby, Swinton and Greasbrough. A further computer is available at the RotherFed (Rotherham Federation of Tenants and Residents) resource centre at Eastwood for Council tenants.

The funding for the software was provided by the partners working together on the Decent Homes* scheme, including 2010 Rotherham Ltd, Anglian Windows, Bramall Construction, Henry Boot and Rok. Each partner contributes funding to support long-term, sustainable projects in areas where Decent Homes work is taking place.
Additional funding came from the 2010 Rotherham Ltd Equalities and Diversity budget as part of 2010’s commitment to improving access to services for all Council tenants.

Supernova software allows the user to magnify the text on a computer screen, alter the background colours to improve contrast and readability, and have text passages read back to the viewer.
The idea to install the new computer software came from Graham Wright, a Council tenant and active community member from North Anston, who is visually impaired. He put forward the idea at a 2010 Rotherham Ltd conference event for tenants and  2010 Rotherham Ltd took up the initiative. The result was a bid to the Decent Homes Community Partnership Fund for £1,485.

Graham Wright, 64, said: “People who are partially sighted are often over-looked and feel excluded from modern technology. Now there is a place for people to go to word process documents or use the internet for free and where they can socialise with other people.”

There are 2,500 people registered as blind or partially sighted in Rotherham and a further 8,500 with significant sight loss.

Angella Parker, Rotherham Borough Council’s Senior Officer for E-Library Services, said: “We previously had three computers in the Central Library equipped with Supernova software. The funding from 2010 Rotherham and the Decent Homes partners means we have been able to up-date this existing software as well as rolling it out to local communities, significantly enhancing the opportunities for visually impaired people to access information and on-line services and participate more effectively in society.”

Library staff can log those who already know how to use Supernova onto the system and can help those requiring more in-depth training by putting them in contact with a Supernova specialist.
The funding bid to the Decent Homes Community Partnership Fund was put together by an informal partnership - 2010 Rotherham Ltd, RotherFed, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council’s Library Service and Neighbourhoods and Adult Service Sensory Impairment Team - which exists to improve communications with Council customers with visual impairments across the Borough.

Phil Rees, Assistant Director in Business Development at 2010 Rotherham Ltd, said: “Through 2010’s ‘Getting to Know You Survey’ we already knew there were over 800 Council tenants with visual impairments and many more residents across the borough as a whole. When Graham put forward the idea of installing the computer software package we thought it was a terrific way of increasing access to 2010 and Council services. We are always keen to involve tenants such as Graham in the decision-making process as they are the ones who really know what their fellow tenants need to better access our services.”

Steve Ruffle, Development Manager of RotherFed, said: “It is a fantastic resource for tenants, enabling visually impaired tenants to make full use of our computer suite at the tenant resource centre at Eastwood.”

Further information about the Community Partnership Fund is available on the 2010 Rotherham Ltd’s website at www.2010rotherham.org or from Rachael Ellis, email Rachael.Ellis@2010rotherham.org  or phone 01709 822291.