Charity begins on the Web

UK charities are being given the chance to access the Internet for free with a service tailored specifically for their needs. Thames Valley ISP Voss Net has teamed up with Charity Logistics - a registered charity that provides support services and practical help for other charities - to offer the subscription-free service to all 184,000 charities in the UK. As well as offering the now commonplace subscription-free service, calls to the help desk will not carry a premium. The home page will provide relevant information geared specifically to their needs and charities will also be given back a slice of the interconnect charge depending on how often they use the service. "Up until now there has been no such thing as a specialist ISP service for charities," said Charity Logistics CEO George Cook. "This service is great news for charities - it could even be the first of its kind in the world," he said. AIM-listed Voss Net hit the headlines last month when announced it would offer free Net access to 32,000 schools in the UK. "I am a great believer in the private sector working with the public sector," said Roger Carter, Voss Net's chairman and CEO. The scheme is due to be launched officially later this month. ®