Helen’s talk starts, continuing the frantic pace.

She starts by making reference to digital Britain. One in four of us don’t have internet access. She shows slides of empty shops, houses for sale and to let, and talks about how job losses and recession is driving the need to share skills.

So can we use the empty shops to help people share and swap skills?

She thinks so. Get a shop, free rent*, volunteers, donations of any kit you need. It’s not just about technology, people need to know how to use it. “Pop-up Swap Shops”, a national network of swap shops using existing infrastructure and empty shops – *rent is free because you can up and leave if you know someone with a van!

A different charging model. Ask people to make a donation – not charge a fee.

Could Sheffield kick start the idea with a pilot here? That’s the question Helen’s posing and she thinks Sheffield could do it.

Helen’s ideas have been covered in the Telegraph.

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