News   Easter Bunny challenges Brits to find Easter online

Press release, 12 March 2008

Most people know Easter is one of the most significant dates in the Christian calendar, but new research shows Brits struggling to say what some of our other Easter traditions actually mean. 

67% of people in England aren’t sure why they’re eating chocolate eggs, and a further 64% don’t know what the Easter Bunny has to do with Easter. 

Around 46% of people were convinced we eat chocolate because of a 19th Century ad campaign, while 27% wrongly believed bunnies were associated in olden days with the increase in daylight hours. 

Those hazy on the significance of the Easter egg or frankly bemused by the role of the Bunny are being challenged to look beyond their chocolate treats during this year’s Easter break, and look up Easter online. 

Helen Milner is Managing Director of UK online centres, and wants families across the region to take up the online Easter challenge and get down to their nearest UK online centre or onto their own computer to log onto myguide – the easy way to use the internet. 

She explains:  “We’re so used to swapping chocolate eggs in the Spring that we’ve forgotten why we do it, and where it all fits in with the Christian Easter story.  Easter is actually a time when a lot of Britain’s pagan and Christian heritage gets mixed up together, and it’s a wonderful opportunity for families to get together and unravel it.  The internet is a great way to find out all sorts of information for the Easter holidays – from learning more about Easter throughout history to looking up cinema times, finding bargain days out to checking the weather forecast.  And as well as helping you educate and entertain the kids, learning a bit more about the internet could help you keep up with them too.”

An estimated 39% of adults in England are still off-line, and myguide is designed to help web-novices or even web-phobes get started on the internet, set up a free email account and search for information quickly and easily.  What’s more, those registering for a myguide email address by the end of March will automatically be entered into an Easter prize draw to win a brand new laptop. 

The online Easter challenge – perhaps unsurprisingly – is being endorsed by a very famous Easter figure keen to set the record straight – The Easter Bunny herself. 

The Easter Bunny adds:   “Obviously I’m slightly hurt by the survey’s results, and keen to see people find out more about our culture and what’s behind Spring and Easter traditions.  Nowadays the internet is one of the best ways to find out the answer to practically any question you have, and myguide is one of the simplest ways to use it.  The Bunny was originally a pagan symbol of new life because of the, er, fertility of rabbits.  Today of course my role has changed and I do a lot of appearances at school fetes and Easter parades and things.  The fact is that even though it’s good to learn about the past, you’ve got move with the times, and Easter is a perfect time to get to grips with technology and hop online.”

Helen Milner concludes:  “The internet really is a great resource for families, and it could save you time, hassle and even money in everyday life.  It can even be fun, and that’s what the online Easter challenge is all about!  I hope families across England take up the challenge, and use the Easter holidays to spend a bit of time together finding out about both the internet and Easter itself.” 

Visit myguide on your own computer at www.myguide.gov.uk, or find your nearest UK online centre by calling 0800 77 1234.  Our friendly staff can give you as much help as you need to get going online. 

Ends

For more information about this press release, please call Paul Wells on 0778 666 0689 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Pictures of the Easter Bunny helping one family get online with myguide are available on request. 

Notes to editors

• Research from ICM Easter Facts Awareness Survey, March 2008, internet research from the Office of National Statistics Internet Access report, August 2007
  
• Chocolate is eaten at Easter as a treat to celebrate the end of Lent  
• The Bunny was originally a symbol of new life in pagan celebrations due to the fertility of rabbits
• Eggs are closely linked with the idea of new life and the coming of spring
• myguide is completely free, and helps people who have never used the internet before get online for the first time.  It’s highly accessible, and offers a range of courses, a simple, banner/pop up-free service, an easy-to-use search function and email facility.  It’s designed to be supported by staff in local centres, who provide assistance and reassurance - making sure people’s first steps onto the internet are a positive experience.  
• UK online centres provide millions of people with access to technology and support in using it.  They offer free or low cost access to the internet and email, deliver online courses and encourage people to progress onto further learning.  UK online centres are managed by Ufi, the organisation also behind learndirect.  For more information please visit www.ukonlinecentres.com