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Progress Update - July 2022 - Duct and Fibre to be Laid from August
July 23, 2022
This week the CEO of B4RN , Michael Lee, approved the whole of the Crook project for 'build status', meaning that the project has moved from the planning phase to the build phase. This is a momentous step for our project and a massive testament to the tireless dedication and hard work of our volunteers. As of August contractors will be engaged in the laying down of ducting and the 'blowing' of fibre to create a lasting structure of communications that will be in place for generations. The volunteers will be out helping the sign-ups connect up as soon as the system goes live.
This is very much the Peoples' Network, controlled and managed by B4RN for our communities and the very best supported and resilient system in the country. B4RN owns or controls all its access to the internet, unlike virtually any other ISP provider in Europe, with its own dedicated connections right at the sources of the big international servers. Currently working on its HALO project to make the entire B4RN network even more resilient and independent, serving it's communities into the future it will become a beacon of how internet should be provided. If you connect and invest into B4RN now, not only do you have sound, locally supported communications, information and entertainment of the highest quality but also a storm-proof, community benefit system that will be a legacy for this and other B4RN communities well into the future.
Once again I'd like to thank the visionary volunteers, investors, landowners and sign-ups that have made this possible.
Progress Update - May 2022 ... preparing the ground!
May 04, 2022
Firstly, a big thank you to all those who joined us at the Memorial Hall for the Q&A last weekend. We hope we answered all your questions. If you have any queries that remain unanswered please do get in touch with your key route contact, details are at the end of this email.
Since the beginning of the project we have made amazing progress which has only been possible with the support of the local community. Thank you for your ongoing support in investment, wayleaves, route walks and spreading the word.
The number of properties signing up to the B4RN service keeps growing. Currently we are at 290 properties and businesses, which represents around 75% of the Crook project area - well above our target from B4RN.
With over 70 km of underground ducting to lay along 6 different routes it’s been no easy task to identify and collect wayleaves from landowners (granting rights of way). But with your help we have been making great progress.
Thank you to all those who’ve assisted in our route walks and who’ve signed wayleaves to help connect up the community. We currently have 76% of the major route ducting covered.
Thanks also to all who have requested and verified their Gigabit Vouchers.
And thank you to everyone who has invested or pledged to invest. We are over half way to our target of £185k.
Further investment from the community is vitally important to make the project happen faster.
The current annual return on B4RN shares is 5%. More details available at https://b4rn.org.uk/community/investors
If you have any questions about investing or need help with printing out or filling in the forms please contact on help@crookb4rn.org or call your Key Route Contact on the details below. They will be happy to help.
What's Next?
We will continue to work hard in planning the routes, raising shares investment and organising wayleaves to get the fibre broadband service to your property.
If all goes to plan we are aiming for the Crook network to start being built in mid June this summer.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT
Great Progress in 2021!
December 20, 2021
A moment of sunshine and calm over Crook this morning has allowed me time to take stock of where we are with our community internet project, part of Broadband for the Rural North (B4RN).
In February, I was asked to see if there was any interest in the Crook area in a reliable, ultra-fast, affordable and locally controlled, not-for-profit internet system.
10 months later we have smashed our targets with over 65% of properties in the area signed up already and now we are preparing the routes, investment and wayleaves for a successful 2022, with a major internet upgrade.
Click here to read the full newsletter.
We thank you for supporting us so much and wish you and your families a very, merry Christmas.
B4RN has won Two major industry Awards!
November 8, 2021 by Mark Gray
We were named ‘Best Community Project’ at the INCA Gold Awards before winning ‘Best Rural ISP’ at the ISPA Awards.
It was a whirlwind 48 hours for B4RN, claiming the INCA prize during a dinner at the National Motorcycle Museum on Wednesday last week (3rd November), before picking up the ISPA gong during a glitzy ceremony at the Sheraton in London the next day (4th November).
Speaking after the INCA win, CEO Michael Lee was quick to recognise everyone involved: “This award belongs to the communities, volunteers, champions and landowners that work every day to deliver future proof broadband to their communities.”
Chief Operating Officer Tom Rigg echoed those sentiments at the ISPAs: “These awards are for you. All our communities, champions, volunteer, landowners – everyone! What an achievement, you deserve it!”
As the wins were announced on our social media, dozens of people took time to congratulate B4RN.
Some told their own stories about B4RN, including Rob Urselmann, who runs an energy sector engineering consultancy business out of Kirkby Lonsdale thanks to his B4RN connection: “The incredible power of local communities. Six years ago, our ancient rural copper wire internet failed every time it rained. It rains a lot in the North of England. Then, as a community supported by the then still all volunteer B4RN, we dug our own trenches, laid cables, connected homes. In the process, there was always coffee/tea and baked goodies by those who couldn’t contribute physically. No need to say we also strengthened an already good community spirit. With a rock solid Gigabit fibre-to-the-premise connection, B4RN is the reason Aotea can deliver the professional service we do!”
B4RN will initially give the awards pride of place at Melling HQ whilst a plan to send them ‘on tour’ to all our communities is hatched.
October 21st
Great news: the government's DCMS GIGABIT VOUCHER SCHEME team has confirmed the Crook B4RN project is a PRIORITY AREA PROJECT and can continue to apply for voucher funding for hyperfast broadband. They have effectively, for us, scrapped the original deadline, allowing us further access to government funding as we sign up more members of the community to take B4RN’s superior community-driven service.
B4RN CEO Michael Lee says “This decision marks a significant change for your project. Prior to this, we expected all voucher applications to be paused from 24th September for up to a year - a decision that brought the viability of many of our projects into doubt. This is no longer the case, thanks, in no small part, to the huge effort to drive sign-up ahead of this deadline, which was a vital part of securing voucher priority status for your project”
This is great news for the future of the project and means it’s full steam ahead!
We can now move on to the next stage of our project with route planning, build preparations and the collection of investment pledges with confidence and B4RN's full support.
October 6th
This morning at the photo-call for the 'official' opening of Crosthwaite School as a B4RN school, Tim Farron MP and Michael Lee (CEO of B4RN) discussed the positive news, of the Government DCMS policy change on the Gigabit Voucher scheme, with Volunteer Leads Henk Muller and Andy Brown of the Crosthwaite and Crook B4RN Projects.
Tim and Michael were keen to express their thanks for the active lobbying and support of all the volunteers that forced the agenda with the Minister, whose subsequent debate and consultation with B4RN has changed the process in favour of our community led projects. Michael praised the volunteers for their continued support and patience, whilst B4RN waits for the DCMS's new policy and structure to be announced.
It undoubtedly will be good news and the fact that DCMS is focusing specifically on B4RN and the Cumbria area is hugely positive and reassuring for us all. Further message from Michael here : https://youtu.be/Su49xRihehw
October 1st
It's time to invest in our Crook B4RN project! For details and terms & conditions visit this site. (as always with investments consult an independent advisor as you wish) Transfer no money just yet! ...... To Quote an ex-BT manager "Investing in your own communications with B4RN is a no-brainer!"
September 28th
We're incredibly buoyed to have signed up a total of 64% of the properties in Crook to Get B4RN - smashing our 50% target - and numbers continue to rise. Huge thanks to all of you for your continued support.
In what we expect to be more good news for Crook, B4RN have managed to secure a deal whereby the voucher scheme will remain open for some areas. This should mean that as more people sign up, B4RN can apply for vouchers for eligible properties, adding further to the pot for the whole community.
This follows a vigorous lobbying campaign by volunteers, in Crook and elsewhere, alongside B4RN HQ and championed by Tim Farron MP. Tim managed to convene a special debate in Westminster last week at which he successfully argued the case for extension to the new minister responsible for the roll out of gigabit broadband across the UK, Julia Lopez. He received cross party support.
B4RN are now working with DCMS to determine which B4RN communities can be counted as "Voucher Priority Areas" and continue to gain access to vouchers. This will largely be based on the viability of each project. They are delaying any formal announcement on individual projects until they can announce them all together. Given the exceptionally strong backing Crook's project achieved in the six weeks running up to the September 10th deadline we are confident of a positive outcome for this area.
In an email to Crook Volunteer leader Andrew Brown this morning Tim Farron said "It is hard to believe that such an entirely appropriate outcome could have required such concentrated representation to overcome the obstacles. I am so pleased that the admirable work of the best internet provider in the country will continue so that some of the most remote homes in the north west will be able to install fibre to their property in the foreseeable future."
So that's a big round of applause to everyone involved!
And for anyone who has received an email and/or text from BDUK asking you to confirm your voucher request, please don't forget to do so within the 28 days allowed.
We would urge all our supporters to continue to encourage friends and neighbours who haven't signed up to do so.
Best wishes from the Crook volunteer team.
We will be in touch again as soon as there is any further news.
September 21st
Interesting exchange in Parliament this morning, with our MP, Tim Farron, and the new minister for the DCMS, Julia Lopez. (fast forward the link to 1100am or use the YouTube link). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWh3DyCJq-s