ISP GoFibre Hands Out Funding to Northumberland Community Projects

Edinburgh-based UK alternative network GoFibre, which is rolling out a gigabit broadband (FTTP) network across remote parts of rural Scotland and Northern England, has today announced the first four charities in North Northumberland to secure investment under their community fund.

Just to recap. The GoFurther Fund offers grants worth up to £3,000 to help local charity projects and community organisations in the regions of Aberdeenshire, Angus, Fife, East Lothian and the Scottish Borders etc. But in March 2025 (here) this was extended to include their network build areas in North Northumberland too, with local projects invited to apply for a slice of the £15,000 allocated to that region.

The fund forms part of GoFibre’s delivery of their state aid backed Project Gigabit contract, which sees them committing to various social value initiatives that will bring wider benefits to local communities. In North Northumberland, GoFibre is building its gigabit-capable broadband (FTTP) network to over 3,750 more homes and businesses through Project Gigabit (7,500+ premises in the region have already been covered by the provider).

• Hospice Care North Northumberland (Berwick / Alnwick): £3,000
• Border Links (Berwick / Scottish Borders): £2,700
• Inky Fingers Art Club (Wooler): £2,914.85
• Berwick Rangers Juniors Youth Development Trust (Berwick): £2,000

Meanwhile the operator’s network build in North Northumberland already covers parts of Berwick, Wooler, Belford, Seahouses, Beadnell, Bamburgh, Cornhill-on-Tweed, Eglingham, Harbottle, Otterburn and Milfield, as well as Ladykirk, Upsettlington and parts of Coldstream in Scotland.

Neil Conaghan, Chief Executive Officer at GoFibre, said:

“We know that charities continue to play a valuable role within communities, bringing people together and supporting vulnerable individuals. This is why we set up the GoFurther Fund.

These organisations have been chosen as the first winners in North Northumberland for each making the kind of positive impact within the local community that the GoFurther Fund is designed to support.

Through everything we do at GoFibre, we are all about connecting communities in as many ways as possible, building long-standing relationships and contributing much-needed funding where we can to make sure our network has a lasting impact.”

Key projects supported to date, by the fund, include education and employability initiatives for young people, as well as efforts to help tackle loneliness and social isolation and after-school support activities designed to empower young people from all backgrounds. For organisations in GoFibre’s build area who wish to apply, more information on the funding criteria and how to apply is available at gofibre.co.uk/gofurtherfund.