Computer tuition with Ross Burgess

Make friends with your computer

• Do you feel left out by the new digital age?
• Have you got a computer at home and don't really know how to use it?
• Or would you like to have a computer and an Internet connection but don't know how to go about it?
• Would you like to keep in touch via e-mail with distant friends and relatives?

If so, I or one of the other licensed trainers with Digital Unite Limited can help you.

Training services

Whether you're totally new to computers, or want to improve your performance in particular areas, We'd be happy to discuss your training needs. We cater particularly for the over-50s, but all ages are welcome.

We normally provide the training to you in your own home on a one-to-one basis, using your own computer equipment. All tuition is totally geared to the needs of the individual. The standard fee is £25 per hour, and you can have as many or as few hours as you require..

I work mainly in Purley (London Borough of Croydon), Redhill (Surrey), and surrounding areas such as South Croydon, Caterham, Coulsdon, Reigate, Tadworth and Oxted). If you're outside my area I'll be happy to pass you on to a Digital Unite trainer near you.

If you're interested in finding out more, or maybe know an elderly friend or relative who could benefit from computer tuition, why not get in touch today?

Web design

Apart from my training work, I also act (via Foxearth IT Solutions) as webmaster for several organisations, using Microsoft Expression Web to create and maintain web sites, and I regularly contribute to Wikipedia, the free online encyclopaedia (sometimes creating or improving articles about language, history, or anything I know a little about, sometimes just correcting other contributors’ erratic spelling and punctuation).

About me

I worked for many years as an IT consultant, providing support to major public and private organisations in London and elsewhere. When a 17-year contract with the Ministry of Defence finally came to an end, I decided that I needed a new challenge. Working with Digital Unite gives me the support of a nationwide professional organisation, and the ability to share my experience with other people and show them how personal computers and the Internet can help them do the things they want to do.

I've been working with personal computers since before they were called PCs, and I can help you with most aspects of the Microsoft software. Whether it's writing letters with Microsoft Word, doing calculations with Excel, producing Christmas cards, posters and invitations, or just using e-mail and the Internet to keep in touch with far-away children and grandchildren, there's an enormous amount you can do without spending a fortune on hardware and software. My own experience has also included using Microsoft Access to manage membership records for small societies, managing my own finances with Microsoft Money, and recording the various branches of my family with Family Tree Maker.

About Digital Unite

Digital Unite (which you may have heard of under its previous name of "Hairnet") has a UK-wide network of specially recruited, trained and monitored trainers that brings affordable and patient tutoring for individuals in their own homes, workplaces or communities.

The main work of Digital Unite is to provide computer tuition on a one-to-one basis, with a special emphasis on the older generation, who may feel excluded from the new world of computers, e-mail and the world-wide web.

We bring specialist expertise to organisations, communities and individuals who need IT skills and who need to harness the potential of IT. Our training delivery models are based on engaging learners on a one-to-one or small group basis (more cost-efficient than you might think), wherever those learners are.

We are dedicated to working with people who, for a variety of reasons, haven't had the opportunity to learn about computers and the Internet, and are increasingly "getting left behind" as new devices for communication emerge. We are also committed to working with other agencies and organisations - be they voluntary, governmental or private - who want to empower their users through IT.

For more about Digital Unite's services, see the corporate web site.