Broadcaster and writer Toby Murcott is on a mission - to bring high-speed internet to his local community in Abbeydore & Bacton.

 
Toby is one of a volunteer force
of ‘local broadband champions’
being recruited throughout rural
South Herefordshire. Their role
is to work within their local
community and pass on
information on the project’s
progress, to highlight the
benefits of high-speed
broadband, and to show that
there is demand among residents,
communities and businesses.

Toby, from Bacton, became interested in the Borders Broadband project, and has been co-opted onto Abbeydore & Bacton Parish Council as a broadband champion. A scientist, journalist and university lecturer who produces programmes for BBC Radio 4, he says his parish’s broadband services are variable. Some residents and businesses have very low speeds while others rely on dial-up connections.

 
“The benefits high-speed broadband will bring are immeasurable,” he said. “Elderly people living alone can be in regular video contact with family or friends, or could consult their doctors via webcam. And schools are increasingly putting video lessons online. But no child is going to click on something, and then wait ages for it to download. They are going to want it now.

“The main reason I’m doing this is for my three-year-old daughter, because when she goes to school, she won’t be able to get the most of it unless she has access to faster broadband."

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