VOTE TODAY!

Dear Cumbrian Residents,

Today is the last chance for you to help make a difference - PLEASE - Place your vote for John Colton on the website here as follows http://www.talktalk.co.uk/digitalheroes/vote-map.php

Support for the superfast broadband efforts of the residents of Dentdale and Garsdale has been coming from all quarters. The community should be proud of what has been achieved to date and the recognition that has been given in the local and national press and at the highest levels of government with the announcement of our grant award by the DEFRA Secretary of State Rt Hon Owen Patterson MP when he visited Garsdale in September 2012. We still have much to do and many challenges to overcome, but our community spirit has never been higher.

Tim Farron MP has been especially helpful by nominating John Colton, Technical Director of our community not for profit company Fibre Garden for the Talk Talk Digital Heroes Awards and encouraging people to vote for John. There is the chance that we can win a £5,000 contribution to our general funds for the FTTH rollout. We need your support.

LAST CHANCE - VOTING CLOSES Sunday 18^th November 2012

A VOTE FOR SOUTH LAKELAND AND CUMBRIA SUPPORT YOUR DIGITAL HERO

TALK TALK DIGITAL HEROES AWARDS 2012

NORTH WEST REGION FINALIST – JOHN COLTON

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, FIBRE GARDEN

Resident of Garsdale, Cumbria and Fibre Garden’s Technical Director, John Colton has been nominated as North West Region Finalist for the Talk Talk Digital Heroes Awards 2012.

Talk Talk, in association with Citizens Online and the Mirror Newspaper Group, for the fifth year running have sponsored the Awards celebrating inspirational people who use digital technology to benefit their community. The winner is decided by a public vote with an awards ceremony at the House of Commons in London.

Casterton Area

Members of the Fibre Garden Team, lead by Jock Cairns, met with representatives from the Casterton area last night. This was a follow on meeting from the one recently held where a number of surrounding communities came to a presentation about the options open to them to be part of the Fiber Garden extend network.

Ken and Enid came with many questions but left with even more and slightly daunted by the task ahead noting the small window of opportunity to apply for BDUK/DEFRA funding. A broad range of information was exchanged and we very much look forward to working more closely with the Casterton Community in the coming months.

Hope Springs in the Digital Desert

Geoffrey Lean, a journalist who writes for the Telegraph, was holidaying in Grisdale and became aware of Fibre GarDen's plans to bring fibre optic superfast broadband to our two Dales, he contacted us for more information and the result is this article in the Telegraph today! A number of photos were sent but they decided to use a stock one from the internet so I have added ours here showing some of the team outside Garsdale Village Hall. For those who have a printed copy we are on page 30.

From the left Stefan Kosciuszko, Andrew Fleck (Chair), Tony Roberts, Anne Fleck.

Broadband Communities

We came across this interesting slide from the Strategic Networks Group, which is part of a much more comprehensive presentation on the impacts of broadband. The survey behind this demonstrates the importance and urgent need of broadband for everyone, it's part in the revival of the economy and sustainability, especially in rural communities.

FIA Newsletter

The Fibre Garden project has a mention in this edition of the Fibre Industry Newsletter (see us on page 3). Yet more recognition of the importance of the project and what has been achieved so far; still much to do!

Cumbria 24

The support continues to grow for John Colton in the TalkTalk Digital Awards, this article on the Cumbria 24 blog provides much background to the Award and support for John.

If you have not already voted then please do so before the 18th November!

A VOTE FOR SOUTH LAKELAND AND CUMBRIA SUPPORT YOUR DIGITAL HERO

TALK TALK DIGITAL HEROES AWARDS 2012

NORTH WEST REGION FINALIST – JOHN COLTON

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, FIBRE GARDEN

Resident of Garsdale, Cumbria and Fibre Garden’s Technical Director, John Colton has been nominated as North West Region Finalist for the Talk Talk Digital Heroes Awards 2012.

Talk Talk, in association with Citizens Online and the Mirror Newspaper Group, for the fifth year running have sponsored the Awards celebrating inspirational people who use digital technology to benefit their community. The winner is decided by a public vote with an awards ceremony at the House of Commons in London.

Voting for the winner has now opened and South Lakeland and Cumbrian residents are encouraged to support your local “Digital Hero”. The relevant website to voteis here

ACT QUICKLY - VOTING CLOSES 18^th November 2012
Full Press release here...