Full-fibre broadband is being rolled out in Barrasford at pace thanks to an injection of new funds.
Broadband for the Rural North, otherwise known as B4RN, are pressing ahead with the installation of full-fibre broadband in the rural village thanks to a new grant of £66,000 from the Ray Wind Funds CIC Community Benefit Fund, set up by European energy company Vattenfall.
Situated on the Ray Estate near Kirkwhelpington, the Ray Wind Farm has pledged to donate money to rural communities that fall within its catchment area. Since 2018, the Fund has donated more than £250,000 per year, and will be in place until at least 2043.
The grant is instrumental in connecting rural premises in Barrasford and the surrounding villages and will soon provide Gigabit broadband to every property in the parishes of Chollerton and Birtley.
Contractors have been on the ground since late last year and have already laid over 31km of fibre duct across an area stretching Chollerton in the East, through Barrasford itself, to Birtley Shields in the West. Work is progressing to continue the build into Gunnerton, Barrasford Park, Carrycoats, Great Swinburn, Colwell, and Hallington.
MP for the area Guy Opperman welcomed the Chief Executive Officer for B4RN, Michael Lee, and Chief Operating Officer, Tom Rigg to Parliament to discuss the plans.
CEO of B4RN, Michael Lee said:
“At B4RN we endeavour to deliver the best internet service in the country to the areas that are hardest to reach. We’re building at pace in the Barrasford area, and it’s great to see new people going live every day on our 1,000mbps full fibre service. B4RN projects are only possible thanks to the hard work and dedication of the rural communities we serve, and the support of BDUK through Project Gigabit and the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme.”
Guy Opperman MP said:
‘I am determined that everyone, no matter now rural they live, or however hard to reach, has access to ultra fast gigabit broadband.
'My thanks go to the team at B4RN for working at pace with community teams on the ground to rollout this particular project to Barrasford and the surrounding villages.
'I know that residents elsewhere are eagerly awaiting good news on broadband, whether in Corbridge, Ponteland, or the villages in-between. For my part, I am meeting regularly with Ministers in Westminster, as well as officials with BDUK and B4RN to encourage faster progress across the whole of Northumberland.'