technology – devizine.com

Melksham Marketing Expert Launches AI Training Course

So what if it paints six fingers on a human hand?! AI is here to stay, love it or lump it; I’ve known manually run businesses where the right hand doesn’t know what the left is doing! Naturally Social, a social media marketing agency based in Melksham, unveiled its new “AI Made Easy” online course this week. Tailored specifically for marketers and business owners, this affordable training programme is designed to equip organisations of every size with the skills to integrate, manage, and maximise AI tools across their operations…hum…..

The news comes after Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index was published in April 2025. The report identified that 80% of the global workforce feels they don’t have enough time or energy to meet rising demands, and 53% of leaders agree productivity must increase; the flipping slave-drivers; up the workers, even if they’re R2D2.

With my tin foil hat on, I toiled with if I should publish this news. Increasing productivity is one thing, replacing the workforce to do it is another. After using AI as a political propaganda tool, harvesting creativity concerns me mostly; robots should do our mundane housework so we can dedicate our time to being creative, not create art so we have time to do the housework! But in a business environment, AI is here, like it or not. We must integrate this humanely and with consideration for the repercussions, which Naturally Social seems to address, so, with my organic fingers and toes crossed, I’ll go for it, and let the debate erupt!

Naturally Social say: with the swift progression of AI technologies, many professionals are grappling with how to effectively integrate them into their workflows. Research has shown that employees globally feel unprepared for AI adoption, with concerns about their job security and understanding of these tools. Naturally Social’s course aims to address this gap by making AI accessible, equipping businesses, freelancers, and charities with the knowledge to thrive in an AI-driven world.

Hey, my first ever AI generated prompt, I think it captures it rather well!

Don’t get me wrong, I was always a fan of the Jetsons, and welcome androids to do the washing-up, but hey, “an AI-driven world,” I confess scares me into a far darker scenario derived from bleaker sci-fi narratives. AI should assist, in the passenger seat, not drive. My mobile phone plays up, overloaded with data it doesn’t do what I ask, it freezes up, glitches, and throws me out of an app; can we really rely on AI to take on jobs which require a degree of responsibility when AI cannot own morales or be held accountable? Maybe a sceptic like me needs this course more than Musk.

Naturally Social’s founder, thankfully not Sarah Connor but Natalie Luckham, emphasised the importance of education in this space and said, “2025 is the year to move beyond experimentation and truly embed AI into your strategy.” Dammit, this is SkyNet level! “This is a pivotal moment for AI adoption, there’s never been a clearer signal that upskilling must be a top priority. AI Made Easy provides that critical bridge, from curiosity to competence.”

They claim participants will learn how to use AI tools to save time, boost creativity, and stay ahead in the competitive digital landscape,and while the other two I am okay with, boosting creativity worries me; we have human designers aching to put dinner on the table, Metal Mickey doesn’t need feeding.

From understanding ethical AI usage, it continues, to leveraging tools for meaningful business impact, “AI Made Easy” empowers learners with the expertise they need to step confidently into the future. This course continues their legacy of providing meaningful, results-driven support to their clients. Kaye King, a fellow marketer and small business owner, attended one AI Made Easy session at the beginning of May and said: “I found it really helpful to understand the different tools available and how to work with them collectively. I also love Natalie’s emphasis on the ethics and transparency around how, when, and why you use AI for your own business and with your clients.”

The jury may be out on AI, but while you’re deciding others are embracing it and it’s never the technology which is the problem, rather the person pushing the buttons. So, perhaps this course is for you? The “AI Made Easy” online training course opens for enrolment on the 16th of May with in-person training also available for teams. For more information or to sign up, visit: https://www.naturallysocial.co.uk/ai-made-easy

Local Tech Firm Encourages Shoppers to Think Pre-Loved this Christmas

With Black Friday just a few weeks away, Wiltshire based Blackmore Computers Ltd, is encouraging people to think pre-loved if they’re planning on buying laptops and computers in this year’s sales…….

Electrical goods are one of the leading categories of intent to buy over the Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend (29 November – 2 December 2024) and while discounts on new products can be enticing, second hand devices offer an environmentally friendly alternative without compromising on quality or cost.

Steve Edmunds, Director of Blackmore Computers, said: “The second-hand laptops we sell in our e-store often have higher specifications than new consumer-grade laptops because of higher initial quality and performance standards which are required in the corporate world. Essentially, they’re built to perform and last better than consumer grade laptops.”

The UK is facing a substantial e-waste problem, generating the second-highest amount per capita worldwide. Research from Material Focus, released in March 2024, highlighted that ‘UK households are holding onto 880 million unused electrical items and throwing away 103,000 tonnes of electricals, costing the economy £488 million in lost valuable raw materials.’

Purchasing new tech not only places unwarranted demands on the planet’s resources but poses the question for consumers: “How do I dispose of the old one safely?”

ReassuredIT, a new initiative by Blackmore Computers, addresses both problems by providing a convenient and secure way for residents to dispose of electronic devices they no longer need or want and providing them with a voucher in exchange. The voucher can then be used towards the cost of a quality refurbished laptop from the company’s e-store. All laptops have been refurbished to the highest of standards and present an affordable option for purchasing ‘new tech’ gifts during a cost-of-living crisis.

For a small fee, old devices can be shipped to, or dropped off at, Blackmore’s secure facility near Warminster. Each device is then securely wiped and either refurbished or recycled. More importantly, every customer will receive a certificate confirming all data on the device has been removed.

“Our focus has generally been on corporate contracts and their need for high levels of data safety; however, the number of households storing old devices due to data security concerns is significant,” explained Simon Barfoot, Founder of Blackmore. “I have always been an advocate for sustainable IT and the work we do not only reduces the amount of tech going to landfill but it guarantees the highest standards of data security. Our team of experts restore and refurbish what we can in order to extend the lifecycle of a laptop or computer and tackle the ‘throw away’ culture. Buying new shouldn’t be the default shopping mindset, and purchasing second-hand in 2024 doesn’t mean having less. It’s about making smarter choices.”

To learn more or to register for the Reassured IT service visit: www.ReassuredIT.co.uk

Weekly Roundup of Events in Wiltshire: 10th-16th April 2024

Spring has sprung! There were two snails on my milk-float this morning, opening “doing it,” without shame; absolute filth! …. I should have filmed it (in a jealous rage!) there might be a gap in the market for mollusc porn! Birds, bees, now snails, they’re all getting some!

Okay, let’s get you out and about, and you never know your luck, you too can be like those snails! Here’s what we’ve found to do in the wilds of Wiltshire this coming week…..

Everything listed here is on our event calendar; go there for links and more info. It may be updated with even more things to do than listed here, so check in later in the week.

Ongoing: Devizes RAF Squadron still have their Easter Egg Hunt running across Devizes, until 14th April; I’d have eaten the lot by now!

And then There Were None runs at the Wharf Theatre, Devizes until Saturday; review HERE.

Wednesday 10th

Crafty Kids at Hillworth Park, Devizes. Acoustic Jam at The Southgate. White Horse Opera’s La Boheme at Lavington School opens and runs up to Saturday.

Runny Snotts Open Mic at the Three Crowns, Chippenham.

Dom Martin Solo Tour with special guest: Demi Marriner, at Chapel Arts, Bath.

Easter Panto, Beauty And The Beast at The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon. Pop Kids Mini Rave at the Vic, with a Big Jam Session in the evening.

Thursday 11th

PSG Choir taster session at the King Alfred Hall, Chippenham.

Boo Hewerdine plus support: Vlado Nosal at Chapel Arts, Bath.

Tommy Hale & the Magnificent Bastards at the Beehive, Swindon. Lost Revellers at The Tuppenny. Tanwood Youth Theatre’s Frozen Jr. opens at Swindon Arts Centre, runs until Sunday. An Evening Of Burlesque at The Wyvern Theatre.

Friday 12th

Karaoke Night with Karl Maggs at the Exchange, Devizes.

Open Mics at The Barge on HoneyStreet, and The Parade Cinema, Marlborough.

Americana Beer Festival at The Bell, Bowden Hill, Lacock.

Sound of the Sirens at the Pump, Trowbridge, with Bluebeard in support.

This Carpenters Masquerade at Melksham Assembly Hall.

West of England Youth Orchestra Relaxed Family Concert at Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon. Heavy For the Tropics at The Three Horseshoes.

Jon Amor Trio at The Ram, Bath. Emma Stevens Band’s “Bloom” Tour plus support from BLÁNID at Chapel Arts.

Barrelhouse at The New Inn, Swindon. Motorheadache at the Vic. Plucking Different at the Beehive. 12 Bars Later at The Village Inn, Shaw. Sir Bradley Wiggins at The Wyvern Theatre.

The Scribes’ Boombox at the Winchester Gate, Salisbury.

Saturday 13th

Museum Explorers Club – Animals in the Museum at Wiltshire Museum, Devizes. Museum Explorers club is for 5-7 year olds and is an introduction to popular topics such as the Romans and Ancient Egyptians. The Great British Yarn Crawl at Pins & Needles on Snuff Street, Devizes.

Humdinger at The Three Crowns, Devizes. Cooper’s Creek at The Southgate. Dreamettes at Devizes Conservative Club. And Stevie MC is in the mix at the Exchange.

But, Editor’s Pick of the Week is The Marley Experience at the Corn Exchange, Devizes. I’ve been looking forward to this since CrownFest last summer; hope to see you there…jammin’ ‘til the jam is done!

Meatloud at Melksham Assembly Hall. The Corsairs at The Grapes. The Singing Herdsman at The Pilot.

The Chaos Brothers at The Talbot, Calne.

The Monkey Dolls at the Lamb, Marlborough.

The Exact Opposite at the Pump, Trowbridge.

The Idle Silence, Cult Python, & Otterman at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon.

Fire & Rain & American Pie at Chapel Arts, Bath.

Stockers Street Food Festival at The Hop, Swindon. The Daybreakers at the Vic.

The Good Old Fashioned Lover Boys at Tuckers Grave Inn, Faulkland.

The JB Conspiracy at the Winchester Gate, Salisbury.

Top Secret – The Magic of Science at the Cheese & Grain, Frome. Mother Vulture at The Tree House.

Sunday 14th

CSF Wrestling at the Corn Exchange, Devizes. Jon Amor Trio Special with guest Stevie Watts at The Southgate.

Open Mic at Red Lion, Lacock.

Deadlight Dance’s The Wiltshire Gothic Album Launch at The Blue Boar, Aldbourne. Album reviewed HERE.

Murder Trial Tonight at The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon.

Barney & Kelly at The Three Horseshoes, Bradford-on-Avon.

Monday 15th

Macbeth at Swindon Arts Centre, also runs on Tuesday.

Tuesday 16th

The Lost Trades at The Piggybank, Calne.

Swindon Jazz & Soul Festival Fringe event for Jazz Knights at The Royal Oak, Swindon, A celebration of Herbie Hancock, with Tom Berge.

Poetika at the Winchester Gate, Salisbury.

And that’s all we’ve got for now, other than some technical gubbings to say: Events listed here are subject to change, we are not responsible for cancellations, errors or postponements in anything listed.

Important note two, events which come to our attention from now on in, will be updated on the Event Calendar and NOT HERE. So, be sure to check in from time to time, use the Event Calendar to find more info on everything listed on here, and for ticket links, etc. Use the Event Calendar to check for updates and planning ahead.

And, while we’re planning ahead, April is hotting up, believe me, loads of good, good, even gooder stuff and stuff gooder than them! Have a look at the coming month HERE.

Did we miss you out? Did you tell us about your event? It’s not that we don’t like you, it’s because Devizine uses many sources to collate these listings, and sometimes we miss a few things. Listing your event here is free, but please make it easier for me by messaging or emailing the info, and then, and this is the really important part, make sure I’ve added it and let me know if not!

Have a good week, One Love.