A PROJECT designed to build relationships between young and old is the latest nomination for our Let’s Do It awards.

Time Travellers, run by Age UK Hillingdon, involves people over the age of 55 volunteering to go into schools to listen to children read and to help with art, cookery and gardening.

In return, the young pupils will teach IT skills to their older helpers.

Sarah Millen from Age UK, who nominated the project, said the idea had been tried and tested and was very popular.

She said: “All the schools involved ask for more volunteers.

“Many volunteers inform me that the time they spend with the children is often a child’s only chance to read on a one-to-one basis with an adult.”

She said the project’s second arm has also been well received, adding: “A lack of IT skills in the older generation can become a social barrier for many people in a society where much depends on the ability to email and surf the net.

“As a result individuals have set up Facebook accounts and learned to tweet and bank online.”

This is the sixth year that the Uxbridge Gazette has joined up with Barclays bank for the Let’s Do It awards, in which £3,000 will be shared between the three winning charities.

First prize is £1,000 and there are two runners-up prizes of £500.

Barclays has included a Barclays Money Skills award, which will provide the winning organisation with training in money management from Barclays staff.

To enter a nomination, complete the coupon (right) and attach a typed/printed A4 sheet of supporting information (maximum two sides), about what the group does, who it provides a service for, why it deserves the award and specifiy what the group would spend the money on/use the Barclays volunteers for.

Then send the application to: Let’s Do It, Gazette House, Bakers Road, Uxbridge, UB8 1RJ.

Closing date for applications is April 5.