Cathedral’s tech education project turns five

More than five years after helping its first nervous users switch on a new device, HomeTech has become a lifeline for hundreds of older people across Chichester navigating the digital world.

What began as a small initiative for the Cathedral community has grown to support hundreds of older people to get to grips with new technology.

Led by Ken Sim, with support from Chichester Library, the project started soon after Covid restrictions lifted. More than 80 people turned up at Vicar’s Hall on the first day, many clutching boxed iPhones and iPads gifted by their children but with little idea of how to use them.

Now, Mr Sim and the team offer monthly one-to-one sessions and Q&As on everything from setting up smartphones to online banking, navigating AI and using Alexa. The group is not just open to members of the Cathedral congregation but is a resource available to the entire city.

People drop by asking how to use BBC iPlayer and Sounds, how to set up the mipermit parking app and wanting to know whether an email they have received is a scam.

Volunteer Annabelle Hancock told the Chichester Observer that “technology is encroaching to the extent that you can’t live without it.” A former headmistress, she said that at nearly 86, she is older than many of the people that come in for help.

“It has also become a social event; some people come for a chat, and everyone is very relaxed about their [technological] incompetence.”

Both Mr Sim and Mrs Hancock are proud of the impact HomeTech has had on the Chichester community.

“I remember one lady,” said Mrs Hancock, “Who was wedded to her old-fashioned landline and refused to engage with emails. After two sessions with us, she was happily filling in the electoral roll forms online.”

Meanwhile, Ken Sim remembers another visitor to the group who was 94 and an authority on naval history. He needed help putting together a PowerPoint presentation for a talk he was giving.

Then there was the lady who specifically needed help with an online purchase: “She was after a Jaegar coat that was only available online, so she came in so we could help her buy it – and we never saw her again!”

Joking aside, Ken Sim said part of the reason most people keep coming back to HomeTech is the sense of security and safety it offers:

“People feel comfortable asking us for help with online banking, and whilst their children or grandchildren are willing to help explain tech – they don’t always have the patience that we do.”

Each session also includes a short presentation followed by a question-and-answer session. On Wednesday, Mr Sim spoke to the group about how smart technology can make life easier as people get older.

“Tech is cheaper than a care home,” he said, explaining that smartwatches can raise the alarm if someone falls, Alexa can help people stay organised, and smart doorbells provide an extra layer of security.

As the project enters its sixth year, Mr Sim would like to offer a second monthly session, particularly whilst part of the library is out of action for refurbishment. However, he needs more volunteers.

He hopes more people will step forward to help ensure older residents across Chichester can continue to navigate an increasingly digital world with confidence.

HomeTech will return to the Vicars’ Hall in January 2026. For further details speak to the team at the information desk in the Cathedral.