Rural Digital Inclusion Project
Can your hall help make digital work for rural communities in Northumberland?
We’re recruiting village halls to take part in a three-year Rural Digital Inclusion project and would like to invite you to be part of this new initiative, led by CAN and the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE).
By 2026, over 120,000 properties in Northumberland will have access to better connectivity, and this project aims to provide practical support to help rural residents better use digital technology in daily life.
Linking Digital Champions with Village Halls
The project will recruit, train and link Digital Champions – people with skills and experience in using digital technology – with village halls and community spaces.
Digital Champions will work flexibly in each community, tailoring support to what people need, what is already available locally and where the gaps and opportunities are.
Examples of how Digital Champions can help your community
- Being available at existing meetings and events at your hall to answer people’s digital questions
- Running a regular digital drop-in session for the community
- Organising ‘techy-tea parties’ where you can ask digital questions over cake and a cuppa
- Supporting local groups and businesses with making use of digital technology in their work
This isn’t an exhaustive list! We want halls and communities to be able to get creative in supporting people to use digital in ways that add value to their lives.
Benefits for your hall
Halls will get a package of support and ongoing help:
- Free devices to get online at your hall
- Help to map your local needs and existing services, and plan your digital inclusion activity
- Matched with Digital Champions who will give digital inclusion support in your community
- Free training and development for Digital Champions to carry out their role
- Help throughout the project to capture learning and help resolve challenges
What does my hall need to do?
- Host opportunities for Digital Champions to support your community for at least six months
- Keep in touch with the project team by sharing feedback and learning
- Consider volunteering as Digital Champions – or recommending people in your network
Interested? Find out more
If you are a trustee for a village hall or community space and are interested in taking part, contact Marc Johnson at CAN on 07477 961096 or email marcjohnson@ca-north.org.uk
Background to the project
The project is supported by partners including Northumberland County Council and Commsworld as part of a 20-year programme of investment in digital infrastructure. By late 2026, more than 120,000 residential and business properties, including in the most rural areas, will be able to get faster, more reliable connectivity.
The Rural Digital Inclusion project works alongside the installation of new digital infrastructure. We’ll help people living in rural areas of Northumberland to get full value from the changes by:
- Providing practical support to help people use technology in their daily lives
- Working with partners across Northumberland and beyond so that new initiatives complement and build on what is already available to support digital inclusion.
- Capturing feedback and learning throughout to develop a blueprint for rural digital inclusion for other communities and local and regional policy-makers.