Nationwide initiative for a ‘technology Sabbath’ encourages families to reconnect with each other by disconnecting their computers, iPads and phones for 24 hours

When the Bird family give up technology on Sunday for the country’s first annual “National Unplugging Day”, 15-year-old James will be most worried about how his sister Charlotte, 13, will cope.

“My sister will struggle more than anyone,” he said. “She relies on her phone so much. She’s always checking it – when we’re on the trampoline together, when we’re talking. She can’t go five minutes without it.”