Thanks both for your replies, I will do some groundwork for your recommendations and see what I can find Mixture.
BOAC the biggest problem I appear to have with Libre Office it doesn't seem to recognise Excel file format, at least without a lot of 'clatting' about, which of course is what has been used in the past. I do keep trying with LO but I'm sure I shall every soon be bald!!
They do have a copy of Word but I'm afraid it's the 1997 version...so not up to much in this day and age.