Wildanet joins the Cornwall Community Foundation Business Club to support ‘hard to reach’ communities

We are delighted to welcome Wildanet, the independent Cornish based internet service provider, to our Business Club.

The CCF Business Club, the business arm of the Cornwall Community Foundation, was established thirteen years ago in March 2008. Since its inception the Business Club has invested over £370,000 into communities in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, awarding over 200 grants.

Liskeard based Wildanet is building a brand new high-speed broadband network for Cornwall and the South West and creating many new jobs in the process. Figures show there are still more than 220,000 people aged over 16 in the South West (ONS, Internet users in the UK 2020, published 6th April 2021) who have never used the internet with 62,000 living in Cornwall.

Wildanet is focusing on creating digital equality for all. They believe no one should be forgotten, left behind or disadvantaged by the digital revolution because of where they are located. This includes addressing the most ‘hard to reach’ areas, crafting the right solutions and supporting connectivity choices for communities in Cornwall’s most isolated areas. Wildanet’s aims and objectives are closely aligned with those shared by other CCF Business Club members.

Wildanet Chief Executive Helen Wylde comments, “Cornwall Community Foundation is a fantastic charity that is proactively helping to overcome the challenges of disadvantage, exclusion and poverty in the region; something that resonates closely with Wildanet and our own values of supporting communities that are disadvantaged through a lack of digital connectivity. It’s unfortunate that there are still many parts of the region that do not have access to fast, reliable connectivity which is becoming ever more essential for some of the most basic daily activities. We believe that every person, community and business has the right to be part of the worldwide digital community, and to benefit from all the opportunities that it brings. We are delighted to be supporting the great work Cornwall Community Foundation and its Business Club members are doing and look forward to helping the Foundation support many more communities.”

Tamas Haydu, Chief Executive of CCF adds, “We are thrilled to welcome Wildanet to our Business Club. In this new digital age it’s shocking to see how many people still haven’t used the internet in the Southwest and the negative social, mental, and financial implications it can cause. Without our Business Club members, we couldn’t help so many projects and people in need. We look forward to working with Wildanet to reach more community projects across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.”