Charities were among those recognised for their innovative and creative internet projects at the Nominet Best Practice Challenge 2008 awards.

This year’s winners included a variety of top-class projects from voluntary organisations dedicated to bridging the technological gap faced by people with significant cognitive learning difficulties to initiatives for protecting consumers from online security risks.

Alun Michael MP, who chaired the judging panel said: “This year’s challenge has produced more entries from a wider spectrum of businesses and organisations.

“Among the winners are a group of volunteers from Age Concern Edinburgh who have delivered training courses in residential homes to help elderly people cross the digital divide. The entries have been inspiring and heart-warming in equal measure.”

Respective winners were:

• Best Development Project: ACE IT (Age Concern Edinburgh Information Technology). ACE IT provides community based computer training for the 50+ age group within the Edinburgh area and beyond.
• Raising Industry Standards: Internet Watch Foundation. The Internet Watch Foundation's 'notice and take-down' service for the UK online sector has succeeded in virtually eradicating child sexual abuse content from being hosted in the UK.
• Personal Safety Online: Get Safe Online initiative: the UK’s national Internet security awareness campaign that helps consumers and micro-businesses be aware of how to protect themselves against Internet security risks.
• Internet for All: Common Knowledge: a voluntary organisation based in Glasgow that tackles the digital divide faced by people with significant cognitive learning difficulties.
• Open Internet: Youthnet. do-it.org.uk, owned and run by online charity YouthNet, is the UK's volunteering resource that includes over 850,000 volunteering opportunities from major charities and local voluntary and public sector organisations.
• Internet and Culture: British Library; after creating two complementary web resources to accompany its 2007 exhibition ‘Sacred’, focusing on the great texts of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.

Nominet and other representatives will promote these entries at the next international Internet Governance Forum (IGF) meeting in Hyderabad between 3rd and 6th December 2008.

The aim is share the best practice illustrated by innovative internet achievements from the UK and inspire the other countries participating to follow these successful models.