PR 1130

TV CHEF COOKS UP SUPPORT FOR HANTSWEB AWARDS

The race is now on to find the best Hampshire and Isle of Wight websites and internet access points, following the launch of this year's Hantsweb Awards at Hampshire Record Office in Winchester.

Ready, Steady, Cook! chef James Martin, and Hampshire County Council's E-government champion Councillor Rod Baulk were guests of honour at the launch of the awards, now in their third year.

This year, for the first time, businesses and organisations in the Isle of Wight will have the chance to showcase their web wizardry by entering the awards.

If there is a Hampshire or Isle of Wight-based website or internet access point which you've found innovative, helpful or easy to use, you can nominate it for one of the 11 categories.

Nominations can be made by completing the online entry form at www.hants.gov.uk/hantswebawards, or by filling in the freepost nomination form in the Hantsweb Awards leaflet, which is available from the County Council Information Centres in Winchester, Basingstoke, Waterlooville, Farnborough and New Milton, the Isle of Wight Tourist Information Centres at Newport, Cowes, Sandown, Ventnor, Yarmouth, Shanklin and Ryde, and libraries and district council offices throughout Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The website and leaflet also have details of the different categories.

Leader of the County Council, Councillor Ken Thornber, said: "The Hantsweb Awards give us the opportunity to encourage and reward website excellence in Hampshire and now the Isle of Wight, while helping us to achieve our E-government aim of improving online services to Hampshire residents.

"Previous winners, like charity Leukaemia Busters, have also benefited from the resulting local publicity, which has helped promote their work to an even wider audience."

The Best Public Access Point to the Internet category will hope to attract nominations from internet access points in rural areas. This year, we hope to pick up on the theme of the national and local `Silver Surfers' campaign to encourage older people to take advantage of what the internet has to offer.

James Martin, who has his own website, www.jamesmartinchef.co.uk, said: "My 86-year-old grandmother recently found a recipe for a traditional Yorkshire Brack on the internet - which just goes to show you're never too old!

"The Hantsweb Awards mean that good local sites get the recognition and exposure they deserve."

The deadline for entries is 30 July. A panel of expert judges will shortlist the best entries in each category, who will be invited to the awards ceremony at INTECH, Winchester's hands-on science and technology centre, on 9 November, where the winners will be announced.

Hampshire Record Office was chosen as the venue for the launch, because the service is a good example of how the internet can link people with information. Thousands of its archives are now available online, and staff are currently working on the Hampshire Photographic Project, which aims to provide internet access to 10,000 historic images.

ENDS

Photo

L-R: Cllr Rod Baulk, celebrity chef James Martin and Mark Ketteridge from one of the Hantsweb Awards' sponsors Synstar.

Notes for Editors

For further information please contact: Lee Williams on 01962 847115

lee.williams@hants.gov.uk

19/05/2004