Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has announced Labour Government’s first Autumn Budget, earmarking over £500 million of funding next year to improve broadband speed and mobile coverage across the UK supporting Project Gigabit, with a focus on rural areas.
Wessex Internet has connected the New Forest towns of Sway and Brockenhurst to its full fibre network as it continues to deliver a £14m Project Gigabit contract.
The altnet also expects communities in Hordle, Setley, Bisterne and Tyrrell to be completed soon. Overall more than 10,500 properties connected through the contract win.
Through its work in the region, Wessex is also partnering with SPUD, a New Forest based charity that engages communities through a broad programme of art, design, ecology and architecture.
Hector Gibson Fleming, CEO of Wessex Internet, said: “During our early meetings with the Parish Council and residents in Sway where we detailed how we would bring fibre to the region, we became aware of SPUD.
“Their inspiring and eclectic SPUDWORKS base in Sway hosts exhibitions by a range of local, national and international artists; has workshops used by community groups including dementia support activities, art taster sessions and youth projects; provides affordable studio space for emerging artists; and houses their small team of staff.
Wessex will support a video project made by young people that is being shown on a 180-degree screen as part of Hampshire Open Studios, the Art Angels Showcase in September, where amateur artists who have attended workshops at SPUD over the year will share their work, and a joint initiative with the New Forest National Park Authority to support SPUD’s flagship Open Exhibition in December, which will attract work from artists across the region.