Rural Full Fibre UK ISP County Broadband Launch Grant-Funding Charity

Alternative network provider County Broadband, which is working to deploy a new gigabit speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network to 500,000 rural premises across the East of England by the end of 2027, has today launched the ‘Hypercharged Foundation‘ – offering grants to support community-centric causes in their build areas.

The full fibre provider, which is supported by a £146m investment from Aviva Investors (here), is currently deploying their infrastructure across rural parts of Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk in England (i.e. they’re building to over 250 villages and rising).

The Hypercharged Foundation is an independent grant-giving charity set up to support community-centric causes, partially funded by the firm and its registered partners. Organisations within County Broadband’s rollout areas are invited to apply for grants – worth up to a maximum of £5,000 – through the Foundation’s website.

One of the first charities to secure funding from the Hypercharged Foundation is Great Paxton Recreation Ground in Cambridgeshire which has received £2,500 to support the upkeep of the ground’s five acres of land. The grant marks the first contribution in fundraising to replace the ride-on mower that is currently used to maintain the grass.

Hypercharged Foundation trustee, Craig Larter, said:

“We’re incredibly pleased to launch our Foundation and the positive impact this will have on local communities in and around The East of England.

It builds on our proud history of supporting local communities, both through the delivery of vital broadband services but also by helping many village halls obtain free broadband services and donating tablets and educational resources to local schools.

Our mission is to award grants to community-centric good causes who are making a real difference in the community. Whether you’re fundraising to improve your sports club or village hall, or you’re struggling with transportation for older people or those living with disabilities – we want to hear from you!”

Just to be clear, the Hypercharged Foundation has been setup as an independent charitable trust regulated by the Charity Commission. The Foundation is managed and funded by County Broadband Limited and its Supporting Partners, although the announcement doesn’t clarify precisely how much investment has been allocated to it.