Rural community sets up ‘field office’
RESIDENTS complaining about poor internet speed in their rural community have set up an office in a field.
Locals have set up the remote office – a workplace in a field with cows in Finderne, near Forres in Moray – and challenged Minister for Connectivity Paul Wheelhouse to work there for a day.
The group is angry about delays in providing interim vouchers worth £400 to help Scots improve their web access.
Pery Zakeri, development manager of the Finderne Development Trust, said: “Working from a desk in a field in the heart of our rural community will soon let Mr Wheelhouse get a taste of the everyday reality for those trying to run a business or home-school kids in this part of the world.
“We’ve even seen people forced to leave the area because they can’t continue with university studies while living in their family homes because the connectivity is so bad.
“There are days when you’d be more successful getting a usable connection by trying to plug your phone or computer into a turnip, or maybe a passing cow.
“It’s the same story for remote and rural communities across Scotland.
“What we want to show him is that you can have everything you need for a workplace or home office – but in 2021 it’s pretty much worthless without a functioning broadband connection.”
The Scottish Government’s R100 – Reaching 100 per cent programme – aims to deliver 30 Megabits per second (Mbps) to every home and business in Scotland by the end of 2021.
However, the scheme has been hit by a series of delays, and residents claim the Government has fumbled the rollout of interim support vouchers.
The trust claims those £400 vouchers would help families and businesses pay for short-term solutions to help them achieve faster connectivity until R100 is delivered.
Mr Wheelhouse said: “We know that some communities still do not have the connectivity they need and deserve.
“That is why we are the only government in the UK committed to providing access to superfast broadband for every home and business in our country and we are investing £579 million in the £600 million reaching 100 per cent (R100) programme.
“While build plans are being finalised to account for further commercial build, homes and businesses currently unable to access superfast broadband are currently eligible for the main voucher under our Scottish broadband voucher scheme; offering up to £5,000 to obtain a broadband connection.
“This currently includes premises in Finderne. Once the updated list of premises receiving build under the R100 is finalised with BT, we will then be able to offer the £400 interim voucher to those for whom R100 build will be delivered later than December 2021.”
MEMBERS of Lions clubs in the TRNC have donated food to needy people and goods to Gazimağusa State Hospital as part of their latest efforts.
The Lefkoşa Central
Lions Club, led by chair Pervin Gürler, and the Lefkoşa Sarayönü Lions Club, headed by Sare Tüfekçi, recently donated 164 food parcels to individuals who are in need during the pandemic.
The parcels contained items such as dry legumes and various other food items, which had been supplied by Lions members and sponsors such as Best
Market in Lapta, Gül Market in Karşıyaka and Konil and Sons Ltd in Lefkoşa’s industrial estate.
Ms Gürler, Ms Tüfekçi, North Cyprus Lions Clubs Federation first vice chair
Duygu Adahan Kuran and honorary board member Ezcan Özsoy distributed the food aid.
Meanwhile members of the Gazimağusa Castle Lions Club donated 11 refrigerators, 22 blankets and two pulse oximeters to Gazimağusa State Hospital’s Maternity and Paediatrics Service.
The club also redecorated the ward’s room and corridor walls with wallpaper. The help was possible through the sponsorship of a company called Latifoğlu Ltd owned by the Ağaoğlu family and took place as the “main activity” of the 2020-2021 “service period” of Gazimağusa Castle Lions Club chair Nuray Emirzadeoğluları, a statement from the organisation said.
The donated items were presented to the hospital’s chief physician Dr Mustafa Kalfaoğlu and other officials from the hospital.
The Gazimağusa Castle Lions Club will continue to “serve health and serve people” in line with the needs of the society, Ms Emirzadeoğluları said.
Lions is an international network of local organisations set up in Chicago in the US in 1917 “in response to social problems created by World War One and rapid industrialisation” according to its official website.
It became Lions International when a club was formed in Canada in 2017. While each Lions club has its “own service focus”, there are five global causes of “particular interest”: hunger, childhood cancer, the environment, diabetes, and vision.