CityFibre joins forces with digital experts to celebrate ‘Get Online Week’ 2021 and encourage BCP residents to connect digitally

CityFibre, the UK’s largest independent full fibre platform, is calling on people across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) to ‘get online’ this week, as part of the annual celebration of all things digital by UK charity, the Good Things Foundation.

CityFibre, which is currently investing £65m to build a future-proof full fibre network across the BCP district, has curated a series of free, fun and informative events throughout ‘Get Online Week’. These aim to help more citizens get the most from their internet connection.  The majority of events can be accessed at GOW2021.com, with an exciting line up including Citizens Online, Worthing Digital, boxChilli, Festival of Digital Disruption, MIND Dorset and Insight2Games.

Earlier this year, CityFibre worked with Citizens Advice Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole to help develop its ‘Lets Talk Money’ app which provides guidance and tips for anyone struggling with money. Coinciding with Get Online Week, Citizens Advice has launched an advice van to help bring this to more local people, with its clients able to access the app on tablets hosted within the van.

Speaking of the initiative, Lucy Cooper, City Manager for BCP at CityFibre, said: “CityFibre is looking to bring gigabit connectivity to BCP and it’s incredibly important to us that as many people as possible are able to reap the benefits that come with a first-class full fibre connection. Access to services such as Citizens Advice BCP’s Lets Talk Money app is a great example of the benefits digital connectivity can bring. For anyone who is new to digital technology or those looking to brush up on their skills, we hope you’ll enjoy the programme of events we’ve put together for Get Online Week 2021.”

With a UK-wide remit, the Good Things Foundation is a social change charity that supports socially excluded people to improve their lives through digital upskilling. It launched Get Online Week in 2010 with the aim of giving everyone the chance to find the help they need to improve their digital skills.

Today, around nine million people in the UK cannot get online independently, even though 65% of internet-using adults believe that keeping their digital skills up to date will be important for their future. The Good Thing Foundation believes that everyone should benefit from a digital world, and so does CityFibre.

Helen Milner OBE, Group Chief Executive at the Good Things Foundation, said: “We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to safely participate in our digital world and no one should be left behind. Through Good Things Foundation’s network of community organisations and with the help of our supporters, events and activities will again take place in hundreds of communities to spread the Get Online Week message that everyone can: Get online. Get connected.”

Zoe Bradley CEO Citizens Advice BCP, said: “Citizens Advice BCP are delighted to be working in partnership with CityFibre, especially as we launch our advice van ahead of Get Online Week. The funding CityFibre have provided to develop our ‘Lets talk App has attracted further funding to the project and it’s now meant we are able to secure tablets to use with our clients in the van.”

Thanks to CityFibre, the UK will benefit from an investment of £4bn as part of its Gigabit City programme which will bring new and better digital infrastructure within reach of up to eight million homes and businesses nationwide.

Across the UK, CityFibre is working with a number of Internet Services Providers (ISPs) including launch partner Vodafone to supply full fibre services for customers on selected Vodafone Pro Broadband plans, as well as TalkTalk and Zen, with other providers expected to join the network soon.

Residents interested in giving their home broadband a boost can find out more about the build, pre-register their interest and find out when new ISPs join at  cityfibre.com/residential