Broadband for the Rural North Ltd (B4RN) will provide to full-fibre broadband to Barrasford.

This comes as B4RN was awarded a grant of £66,000 from the Ray Wind Funds CIC Community Benefit Fund.

The Ray Wind Funds CIC is an independent body administering the £250,000 annual fund established by European energy firm Vattenfall.

B4RN, a community benefit society, has successfully made the internet accessible for rural regions.

Initially, a volunteer-led venture, the company has ongoing projects across Lancashire, Cumbria, North Yorkshire, and the North East.

The Ray Wind Farm, managed by Vattenfall and located in the Ray Estate near Kirkwhelpington provides financial support to rural communities within its zone annually.

Since 2018, the fund has provided more than £250,000 per year and plans to continue these contributions until at least 2043.

B4RN said the grant is important in kick-starting the Barrasford B4RN project, which will offer full-fibre symmetrical Gigabit broadband to every property in parishes of Chollerton and Birtley.

This, it said, will enable services such as video streaming and online gaming to be accessible to some rural properties for the first time.

B4RN’s local subcontractors began work in October and have since laid over 31km of fibre duct across regions stretching from Chollerton through Barrasford and into Birtley Shields.

Funding for B4RN projects is partially covered by the government through Project Gigabit, with community investment covering the remaining costs.