Pictured: (l-r) Laura Moore of Big Lottery Fund, Brian Golden of Nehemiah UCHA, Kwadwo Owusu-Darko Chairman of Nehemiah UCHA and Llewellyn Graham Chief Executive of Nehemiah UCHA 

Midlands Housing Association, Nehemiah UCHA has received £136,324 from the Big Lottery Fund's Reaching Communities programme. The grant will be used to help older residents in the association's five retirement schemes in Birmingham, Dudley, Walsall, West Bromwich and Wolverhampton learn IT skills and become more active through planned exercise programmes.

Nehemiah UCHA's retirement housing team will use the three-year funding for their Silver Surfers and Supple Project to teach their older residents how to use computers and the internet as well helping them to take part in exercise to aid both their mental physical health and well being.

Lucy Hales Director of Housing and Care Services for Nehemiah UCHA comments: "The Big Lottery Fund grant is great news and we are delighted to receive this for our Silver Surfers and Supple Project. Our residents are looking forward to developing their cyber skills to keep in touch with friends and family, order shopping online and surf the net as well as using Wii Console's like their grandchildren to exercise."

Chief Executive Llewellyn Graham adds:"This grant will play an important part in the role our retirement schemes play in combating isolation and loneliness and will be working hard to drive up inclusion and integration among older people in the communities in which we operate.

"Thanks to this project, a new wave of older people will now be able to learn how to use computers and engage with digital technology as well as taking part in physical activities which will help with their health and well being."

After completing the IT training, Nehemiah UCHA's older residents will be able to use email, pay bills online, search for energy suppliers and keep in touch with family and friends and after following a programme of exercise residents should feel physically fitter.