We’re pleased to announce the building has begun! Installation of a B4RN cabinet has begun in Barrasford. B4RN have already started putting in the work to get it live and bring their connection into the village!
The cabinet installation is a big milestone for our local volunteer group who have been working for more than a year to bring B4RN to the area. We’ve helped plan the routes for the fibre ducting; got free access to land; encouraging local investment; secured government voucher funding (more on that below); and will help with some digging ourselves!
There will be a green cabinet landing to go on top of this very soon, we did hope to have a much bigger celebration, but due to COVID rules and safety, we’ve had to do things more carefully.
This is more than just pipes on the ground, it will be the heart of the internet locally, going to every single property that wants it. From here, there will be lots of work going on to get the main routes dug to every single property in Barrasford, Gunnerton, Birtley, Colwell and The Swinburnes. AND interconnects to the Kirkwhelpington and Woodburn projects so things can start there ASAP as well. We’ve still got some planning to do before we can press go, but as soon as we can we’ll be pushing forward quickly.
The Barrasford, Gunnerton, Birtley, Colwell and The Swinburnes areas have already signed up for enough government vouchers and we’re committed to bringing connections to every property’s boundary. This is such great news and will bring world-beating future proof internet locally. Its particularly important now for homes as some current services aren’t holding up very well.
UPDATE 12/02/21 – The green cabinet landed!
However, a deadline is looming particularly for Corsenside (Inc Ridsdale, East and West Woodburn) Thockrington, Kirkwhelpington, The Bavingtons, Cambo, Scots Gap, Wallington (and any property in between!).
The rollout locally is funded by the Digital Borderlands Voucher Scheme. These run out in March 2021 and these government “vouchers” secure funding for two years and allow us to roll out B4RN in our area. BUT to get them, they must be signed up for by each local property or the funding will be lost. WE NEED YOU to make sure this project happens in these areas by signing up.
Sign up here: b4rn.org.uk/postcode-checker
These run out in March 2021
We’re really not sure what is going to replace these vouchers indeed the government are planning on cutting the UK funding from £5 Billion to £1.2 Billion and cutting their previous commitment to rural broadband. It’s now or never!
See – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-55071349
Please act now – signing up today will help secure vouchers from a government for two years for our area. It also starts a clock ticking for B4RN and these are only paid out to B4RN once you are connected.
FIND OUT MORE: An online Zoom meeting is taking place at 7pm on Wednesday 17th February where you can find out more as below. Check out our Facebook page for further details.
*Areas which can Get B4RN: Barrasford, Gunnerton, Birtley, The Woodburns, Corsenside, Colwell, The Swinburnes, Thockrington, The Bavingtons, Kirkwhelpington, Cambo, Scots Gap, Wallington (and any property in between!).
