People in communities around Darley, Blubberhouses and Appletreewick are getting ready to celebrate the launch of their high speed broadband network.
The new wireless internet connection has been made possible by grant funding from Connecting North Yorkshire (CNY) combined with the dedication and commitment of local community broadband campaigners.
CNY is an initiative led by North Yorkshire County Council and the Council has worked closely with Harrogate Borough Council and Craven District Council on this scheme. The community broadband internet service provider will be LN Communications Ltd.
County Councillor Carl Les, Chair of Connecting North Yorkshire said:
Connecting homes and businesses at high speeds to the internet is vital for the future of the economy of rural communities.
The CNY team and partner organisations have worked hard to deliver the funding for the scheme but there is no doubt that we wouldn’t be celebrating a broadband connection now without the dedication of our local campaigners David Holland, Sue Welch, Norman Wheat and Adrian Precious.
The Broadband Champions have worked hard over the past nine months, raising awareness and surveying households to prove that there is both a need and a demand for faster broadband in the community. I am delighted that their efforts have helped to secure the funding for the scheme.
Julian Smith, Member of Parliament for Skipton and Ripon, said:
Helping to bring high speed and high quality broadband to residents and businesses across my constituency is one of my key aims as the Member of Parliament so I am delighted to be joining the community in Darley today as they formally launch their new wireless internet network.
Having this connection will allow people to do more from their own homes – be that watching a tv show online, keeping in touch with family and friends or learning from home – and allow businesses to grow and expand by ensuring they don’t have to go to a big town or city to get a good broadband link.
This would not have happened without the determination of the community led by Sue, David, Norman and Adrian and I pay tribute to their work, the work of North Yorkshire County Council and LN Communications in making the vision become a reality.
Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Board Member Ruth Smith said:
I live in Darley and I know that this new high speed connection is very welcome” . “As well as being great news for local residents, a high speed connection helps attract investment to the area and can help businesses become more efficient, access new markets and enable people to work from home. It will help ensure that our rural communities remain vibrant places to live and work in the future.
The broadband launch comes on the back of Darley launching its own community library with the support of North Yorkshire County Council.
More details on how rural communities can benefit from the Connecting North Yorkshire project can be found on the website www.northyorks.gov.uk/broadband More information about the Darley to Appletreewick scheme is available from Sue Welch clerk@darleyparishcouncil.org.uk
