Bringing Superfast Fibre Broadband to Tweedsmuir

Tweedsmuir Community Council will be joining the superfast digital highway thanks to a grant of £69,000 over two years which has been awarded by the Ventient Glenkerie Community Fund.

The grant to contribute to the cost of providing a reliable, affordable and superfast broadband connection to all properties within the Tweedsmuir Community Council area. The project (Connecting Tweedsmuir) will be run by BT OpenReach and the community.

The average broadband speed in the area is currently less than 0.5 Mbps, with some properties having no access to broadband at all. The project will not only help households’ access digital services – it will also benefit the area’s businesses allowing them to identify and capitalise on opportunities for growth.

Paul Greaves, Secretary of Tweedsmuir Community Council said, “Tweedsmuir Community Council would like to offer its heartfelt thanks to Ventient Energy, Glenkerie wind farm and its local panel for agreeing to offer a £69,000 grant for the village’s project to bring superfast broadband to the community. The plans, once realised, will have a huge positive impact on residents and the 20-plus businesses in the area in that the project guarantees fast internet connectivity, with all its many benefits, now and into the foreseeable future. Tweedsmuir has seen much disinvestment over the past 40 years – the loss of the post office, rural transport, the Crook Inn in particular – but this project, the Council feels, is a, vital step to the regeneration of our community. We, therefore, thank you for showing your commitment to us in such a tangible and worthwhile way.”

Other groups to benefit in this latest round of funding include: Upper Tweed Community Enterprise Company Ltd to contribute to the purchase and establishment of a community shop in Broughton; Biggar Youth Project to contribute towards staff costs for a part-time youth worker for the Biggar Bytes project; Biggar Science Festival to fund schools activities linked to the Festival; and Biggar and District Civic Society to contribute to the costs of replacing notice boards, maps and refurbishing signposts.

“We are delighted to be supporting this project and look forward to seeing the new broadband connections making a real difference to the families and businesses that are in the community. We have seen similar projects have a significant positive impact, and we look forward to this campaign delivering real benefits.”

The next round of funding closes Friday 12th July 2019.  For more information and detail on how to apply visit http://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/glenkerie

ENDS

For further information please contact Jacqui Morris, Foundation Scotland Tel: 0141 341 4963

Notes to editors

Launched in 2014, Glenkerie Wind Farm Community Fund supports groups and small charities within a 15 km radius of the Glenkerie Wind Farm, which includes parts of Scottish Borders and South Lanarkshire. The fund has been provided by Ventient Energy the developer and operator of the wind farm.

The Ventient Glenkerie Community Fund is administered by grant-making charity Foundation Scotland, with decisions on awards made by a panel of local people.

Foundation Scotland

Foundation Scotland distributes funds for over 250 individuals, families, charitable trusts, companies and public bodies.  Our in-depth knowledge of the charitable and community sectors ensures that funding has the greatest value.

Foundation Scotland works with communities and developers, administering approximately £4M in community benefit payments annually mainly linked to commercially owned and operated onshore wind farms.  The Foundation works with over 200 communities and a wide range of developers, supporting the set-up and on-going activities of over 50 community funds across Scotland.

The Foundation favours a long term view, promotes and harnesses community strengths and supports decision making processes that are inclusive, accountable and community-led.