Celebrating Volunteer Recognition Day: Laura Cheng's impact as Digital Champion

For Volunteer Recognition Day, we shine the spotlight on Laura Cheng, who has recently begun her role as a Digital Champion at St Peter’s Church in Hutton, Brentwood. As part of Digital Essex’s Community DigiHub service, Laura is dedicated to helping residents enhance their digital skills.  

Laura Cheng (pictured second from the left) with Cllr Louise McKinlay, Digital Essex’s Josh Mews and St Peter’s Community Digi Hub users 

Laura tells us more about her volunteering experience so far.

Why I started volunteering

"I wanted to start volunteering at the Community DigiHub because I live in this community and want to contribute to it while getting to know new people. Since I’m new to the area, I see this as a great opportunity to connect with others, learn more, and share my skills with anyone who needs help."

My experience so far

"What I have enjoyed the most so far is listening to people and helping them solve digital issues. I remember one instance when a lady asked how to quickly select all her photos on an iPhone. We spent quite a bit of time figuring it out together. I did not know the answer at first, but we eventually discovered a simple way to do it. Not only did she get the solution she needed, but I also learned something new in the process. It was a great experience that helped me grow, and I was happy to see the person leave with their problem solved."

"It’s been a rewarding experience to both improve my own digital knowledge and enjoy helping others at the same time."

Josh Mews, Programme Communication Officer at Digital Essex, who has been working closely with Laura at the DigiHub, said of her achievements so far:

“We're very excited to have Laura as our first volunteer Digital Champion - she's making a real difference supporting people in her local community. We're looking to build our network of digital champions, so if you'd like to support your local community please reach out.”

Get involved

If you would be interested in volunteering at one of our Community DigiHubs, please contact the Digital Essex team. For more volunteering opportunities in Essex, visit Volunteer Essex.