PRESTON Richard Parish Council believes the introduction of high speed broadband (fibre optic) to every home and business in our parish is essential to ensure all our community is able to benefit from the ability to use e-mail, video calls to family and friends, both here in the UK and worldwide, for the education of our children and grandchildren and to encourage business to thrive and expand.

The changes required to the infrastructure will not happen unless the community and the parish take responsibility and work together to bring high speed broadband to every home.

At this time Preston Richard is becoming an island within neighbouring parishes of slower, less reliable broadband while others have or are introducing high speed broadband.

A steering group has already been set up in Preston Richard, working with one potential provider. This group has a feasibility study and preliminary design work completed but it requires leadership and support if it going to be able to progress to the next stages.

The parish council supports this steering group and any scheme or business that are able to provide us with high speed broadband.

The parish council believes passionately that if we are unable to progress a scheme to change our broadband we will become a less attractive place to live and work in the future, that our children and grandchildren would be severely disadvantaged in access to education and social media and other residents isolated from the advances in medical and social technology.

We hope that together with the parish council, residents and businesses can support and work together to achieve this goal.

If anyone can offer help, skills or support please contact Mel Lofty by email on melvynlofty@gmail.com or telephone 015395 67191.

Mel Lofty

Preston Richard Parish Council