Sky partners with IvybridgeLink Charity to open Sky Up Digital Hub in Isleworth

Tuesday 28 March 2023

Sky will provide the BridgeLink Community Centre, run by the IvybridgeLink charity, with free wi-fi, access to devices and digital skills support.
The centre serves over 3000 residents in Isleworth.
As a major local employer with its group headquarters in Isleworth, Sky has launched the Digital Hub to tackle digital inequality and support people who are digitally excluded.

On Monday, in partnership with IvybridgeLink Charity, Sky opened a Digital Hub at The BridgeLink Community Centre, close to its group headquarters in Isleworth. Located on the Ivybridge Estate, the community centre provides critical services to more than 3,000 residents, including afterschool homework clubs, youth clubs, holiday clubs for local children, coffee mornings, training and consultation programmes. Sky is enhancing these services by providing free wi-fi, access to digital devices and digital skills training.

“Sky is focused on unlocking possibilities for people in Isleworth with the tools, skills and programmes that we provide through this Sky Up Digital Hub close to our group headquarters. Tackling digital inequality is at the heart of our work to empower people to fulfil their potential.”

Dana Strong

Sky’s Group CEO

Through its Sky Up programme, Sky is empowering individuals through greater connectivity and access to vital digital skills training, supporting them to reach their potential.

Based on recent surveys of the local community, residents of Ivybridge rely on the services provided by the BridgeLink Centre. Sky’s new Digital Hub will enhance the centre’s programmes and training activities by providing over 50 technology devices, ranging from laptops, desktops, tablets, podcast equipment, and tech accessories.

Sky staff will also work with IvybridgeLink and local partners to run masterclass skills sessions for young people and help those people over the age of 65 learn essential digital skills to help with important daily tasks.

IvybridgeLink Charity Chair of Trustees, Rob Kemp: “IvybridgeLink's partnership with Sky Up is a fantastic opportunity to further develop our centre's offer to the local community. The Digital Hub facilities and support Sky is providing will help us to continue to meet the needs of BridgeLink Centre users - enabling more local people to access digital media, learn new digital skills and build their confidence in using the internet. We're really excited about the benefits of being a hub will bring to people of all ages on the Ivybridge Estate and the wider Isleworth community.”

Local MP for Brentford and Isleworth, Ruth Cadbury MP: “I was delighted to open the Sky Up Digital Hub at the BridgeLink Community Centre today. IvybridgeLink provides support and critical services to residents locally including homework clubs, youth activities, coffee mornings, a community Pantry and skills training programmes. These also provide fantastic support networks that make a life-changing difference to local families.

With a Sky Up Digital Hub opening here, the services will be enhanced through greater connectivity and more digital devices. I look forward to working with Sky and IvybridgeLink as we continue to support the local community.”

In 2022, Sky launched its ambition to tackle digital inequality with a three-part initiative providing support to a quarter of a million digitally excluded people through a dedicated £10m fund. The programme was created to ensure that groups who are most at risk of digital exclusion - under 25s in under-served communities and over 65s - are provided with the skills they need to succeed. Sky Up aims at delivering 100 new Digital Hubs around the UK & Ireland with the goal to offer digital resources to support the most vulnerable communities.

Contact: rebecca.zintout@sky.uk

Sky is one of Europe’s leading media and entertainment companies and is part of Comcast Corporation, a global media and technology company that connects people to moments and experiences that matter. 
We’re famous for innovation. We offer streaming services NOW and WOW; the world’s smartest TV, Sky Glass; Sky Stream, the new, easy way to get the Sky Glass experience on any TV; and the best aggregation platform, Sky Q. We provide connectivity you can count on in mobile, and fast, secure, reliable residential and business broadband. 
We’re Europe’s premium content producer. We create award-winning original content, produce the biggest live sporting events, and we provide free access to news and the arts. 
We believe that we can have a positive impact on society, by supporting and creating tens of thousands of jobs, addressing digital inequality, being a diverse and inclusive employer, and becoming net zero carbon by 2030. 
Sky launched its ambition to address digital exclusion in April 2022 with a three-part initiative designed to tackle digital inequality and provide support to a quarter of a million digitally excluded people through a new dedicated £10m fund.  
The initiative, Sky Up, supports people to succeed in a digital age, ensuring that those who are most at risk of being digitally excluded are given access to the right skills, technology, and connectivity.

The IvybridgeLink Charity was set up in 2000 with the aims to:

Promote learning and educational achievement
Encourage pathways into employment,
Support healthy lifestyles and emotional wellbeing,
Offer opportunities for recreation / leisure activities
Build a positive sense of community

Further information about IvybridgeLink

Having served the community for over 20 years we have a good knowledge of the complex needs and issues of residents and have built up trust, confidence and continuity. Many of our trustees are members of the community and residents of Ivybridge estate and volunteer their time to help manage the centre along with a pool of volunteers, part time staff and the Community Partnerships & Programmes Manager.
IvybridgeLink manages and oversee The BridgeLink Centre, which is the community centre based on Ivybridge Estate. We host several frontline activities and services in response to local need such as a nursery, children and youth activities, mental health support services, and welfare advice and support.
We have provided an outreach venue for many services including Citizens Advice, Our Barn, Hounslow Council teams such as Community Solutions, Community Safety and Work Hounslow, NHS mental health services, Hestia support services, and CA addiction support.
Through our research we also identify shortfalls in services for local residents, and if there are no partners available to deliver these services we source funding and specialists and manage the delivery of these ourselves. Examples of these include our children and youth offer which includes youth clubs, homework clubs, holiday clubs, and a community pantry that offers a dignified alternative to a food bank.

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