Campaign aims to combat digital deficit in rural North Wales

A campaign has been launched to get rural North Wales connected after it was revealed that about one in six homes has no access to superfast broadband.

The Rural Digital Connectivity project, led by Ambition North Wales and funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, aims to address these connectivity “not spots” by providing targeted support to households, businesses, and organisations.

It is being rolled out on their behalf by two rural enterprise agencies, Anglesey-based Menter Môn in the west and Denbighshire-based Cadwyn Clwyd in the east.

See also: Government to invest £800m in rural broadband rollout

Just under three-quarters of homes in Wales have full-fibre broadband compared with 78% in Scotland, 85% in England and 97% in Northern Ireland.

In North Wales, Anglesey is the county worst served by broadband providers with more than one in three properties (35%) without full-fibre to the premises compared with Wrexham at just 10%, Gwynedd at 19.4%, Denbighshire 18.5%, Flintshire 15% and Conwy 12%.

The campaign includes a schedule of upcoming Connectivity Clinics across North Wales, with events planned at venues such as the Anglesey Show, Denbigh and Flint Show, various local libraries, and community centres.

These sessions aim to provide personalised assistance to residents seeking to improve their internet services.

One of the leading advisers, Geraint Strello, who brings more than four decades of experience in the ICT sector, said:

“Our aim is to make properties in North Wales that don’t have access to superfast broadband aware of the opportunities available to bring a high-speed service to them.”

The project is set to run until 31 October in Wrexham and until 31 December in the other five North Wales counties.

For detailed information on event dates and resources, visit connectivity.cymru.