Bletchley gets online security zone

The home of the Second World War codebreakers is set to inspire the next generation with a new computer learning zone.

Bletchley Park is to get an IT learning zone and cyber security exhibition as part of a new partnership with computer security software firm McAfee.

It will be built in a block at the estate near Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire which has been derelict for decades.

Staff from McAfee will teach safety courses and provide schools, children and parents with strategies and advice on navigating cyberspace safely.

They will also learn how the achievements of the Second World War codebreakers remain relevant today.

The partnership is part of the ongoing restoration at Bletchley Park, home of the Second World War codebreakers, the first phase of which will open in time for the 70th anniversary of D-Day in June.

After the full restoration is complete, it is hoped Bletchley Park will attract 250,000 visitors a year and provide school visit facilities for more than 16,000 pupils each year.

Iain Standen, chief executive at Bletchley Park Trust, said: “The work undertaken at Bletchley Park made a real difference and helped to change the course of history.

“With McAfee’s help, we hope to inspire the next generation of potential Codebreakers and cyber security experts to keep us safe in the digital world.”

Gert-Jan Schenk, president, EMEA, at McAfee, said: “McAfee is immensely proud to be involved with the preservation and development of such a vital part of British and world history.

“McAfee works tirelessly to protect against ever-increasing online threats and working with Bletchley Park allows us to make a real impact on the cyber security education of children.

“Helping to keep the next generation safe was a key driver for partnering with the Bletchley Park Trust, not to mention the chance to help commemorate the part Bletchley Park played in the birth of the information age.”

Bletchley gets online security zone