CHARITY Age UK is using cutting edge computer technology to cut its costs – and teach a class of mature pupils how to master the web.

The South Tyneside region of the national charity brought in cloud computing firm Atlas Cloud to update its systems, and is now using it to teach regular classes at its offices in South Shields.

John Briers, Age UK’s South Tyneside chairman, said: “We have 30 staff using the system, but the new set-up also allows us to have six training seats where we can teach our customers about the latest technology. Being cloud-based means we can give them the latest updates as soon as they are available.”

“We had been facing a large hardware cost and an increasing level of data security requirements. We always try to place business locally, so we brought in Atlas Cloud, who came in on a Friday and by 10am on Monday it was all up and running.”

Phil Richardson, Atlas Cloud’s chief operating officer and founder said: “There are different benefits for companies moving to cloud technology. For some it is the environmental benefit of not having a stack of servers in the office, for others like Age UK it is making sure they and their customers automatically get the latest technology and don’t have to handle data protection concerns.

“It’s an added bonus for us that our technology is helping an older generation learn about the internet. It can seem daunting when you come to use new technology for the first time, so a safe and secure environment helps.”