Hounslow Council's much anticipated Digital Festival Hounslow begins again on 1 November, featuring a month-long celebration of technology, wellbeing, accessibility, and digital learning; with all events completely free of charge.

Digital Festival Hounslow began in 2020 to help residents and community groups across the borough connect and grow, despite the challenges of lockdown and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over four weeks, 26 sessions will be live streamed.

Events will include building employment skills, developing digital capacity in Hounslow, community wealth building and valuing diversity.

Back for a second year, the festival supports Hounslow's borough wide Digital Strategy and Recovery Plan, helping to keep Hounslow digitally connected and support residents back into work.

The action-packed line-up will feature headline acts from tech giants, including Microsoft and LinkedIn.

Highlights include, how to create a rocking LinkedIn profile, alongside Microsoft Employability sessions on preparing for job interviews and making your CV stand-out.

It also features bespoke sessions for local community and voluntary sector organisations, including workshops on social media and engagement, digital strategy and improved digital working.

Digital Festival is completely free to all Hounslow residents – residents simply need to sign up for events, here.

Councillor Pritam Grewal, Cabinet Member for Customer Services and Corporate Performance said: "I am delighted to announce the return of Hounslow's Digital Festival for 2021.

"This year's event promises to be even better than 2020, and will provide lots of opportunities for our residents to learn new skills and connect with new people.

"Digital Festival Hounslow allows the Council to share the exciting digital journey we're on with the community.

"Hounslow has a high proportion of wards which are amongst the most digitally excluded in England, and the Council is on a mission to change this. We are committed to ensuring that all residents have basic digital skills, access to good broadband and the device they need to use online services confidently and securely."

"The festival will shine a light on the opportunities available to all of us to create digital change which will benefit not just ourselves but our family, neighbours, friends and the wider community."