100,000 'Digital Champions' join Race Online campaign

100,000 volunteers and Mariella Frostrup to promote and reward digital achievement

The UK's digital champion Martha Lane Fox has recruited 100,000 volunteers to help in her endeavour to get more UK adults online.

It is hoped that these local "digital champions" will help inspire and encourage technophobes to use computers and experience the internet for themselves.

This is part of Fox's Race Online 2012 campaign, which aims to get more UK citizens online by the time of the London Olympics.

Coinciding with this recruitment drive, partners of the campaign have launched low-cost PCs, including one from Microsoft available for £95.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Often it is the impact of volunteers that can make the biggest difference. So today I am delighted to welcome the announcement of 100,000 new local Digital Champion volunteers – the UK‟s biggest ever cross-sector volunteer force."

Meanwhile TV presenter Mariella Frostrup (pictured) is joining Fox in promoting a new national awards scheme, the Technology4Good Awards.

These awards are designed to celebrate and reward the achievements of organisations and individuals who use computers and the internet for the public good.

The eight categories of awards on offer include: accessibility, volunteering, innovation, fundraising, creating partnerships, community action and meeting the needs of disabled customers.