As the Race Online 2012 campaign comes to an end, the UK digital champion Martha Lane Fox today launches Go On UK with Age UK and Big Lottery Fund as two of its founding partners.

It aims to bring the benefits of the internet to organisations as well as individuals and commits to improving the digital capability of charities and SMEs through the sharing of expertise and resources.

“Go On UK is a very different organisation with a broader remit to include building the capacity of organisations as well as individuals.” Said Lane Fox. “It will pick up the baton from Race Online 2012 by building on its fantastic assets.”

The founding partners (Age UK, BBC, Big Lottery Fund, E.On, Lloyds Banking Group, Post Office Ltd, and Talk Talk) have committed to covering the costs of the new organisation for the next three years.

Lane Fox will chair the new organisation and executives from the partner orgnaisations, including Age UK chief executive Tom Wright and Big CEO Peter Wanless, will sit on the board which will develop a national plan for the next 18 months by September 2012 and a longer term vision for 2020.

Age UK is the leading provider of internet campaigns to people aged 65 and over. Wright said: “Age UK believes that Go On UK offers a fantastic opportunity for influential members of the public, private and third sectors to come together and help get everyone online, regardless of age or experience of technology.”

More support for charities

Lane Fox said that the new organisation would provide more support to charities hit hard by funding cuts.

“Many individuals and organisations still struggle to exploit the broader benefits of technology, a problem that is particularly acute for our small businesses, older people and charities that are currently at risk of being left behind," she said.

“Working with charities to use technology to deliver the best services possible for end users and take the cost out of their business has never been more urgent," she added.