30
October
2014
|
23:00
Europe/London

Fibre for breakfast for Stockport businesses

Free event highlights benefits of high speed broadband

Stockport Council and BT are hosting a Fibre for Breakfast event showcasing the possibilities that digital growth offers to local companies.

The free event will demonstrate the opportunities that enhanced connectivity and digital technology offer to businesses. Stockport Council, in partnership with BT, is hosting the free event on Wednesday 26th November 2014 between 8am and 10:00am at the Deanwater Hotel.

High speed fibre broadband is being rolled out across areas of Stockport as part of the £15 million Get Digital Faster programme. Through its programme of investment, Get Digital Faster will give businesses the opportunity to access faster and more reliable download and upload speeds in areas where connectivity has lagged behind.

“Fibre for Breakfast” will highlight the opportunities digital technology and enhanced connectivity can offer to companies, as they seek to grow and develop. It will also explain the range of support on offer to businesses and hear from local companies that have experienced growth as a result of embracing digital technology.

Chairing the event will be Luis Troyano, Co-founder and Director of Forever Creative in Cheadle, and finalist in this year’s Great British Bake Off. Luis’ marketing agency puts digital technology at the forefront of the organisation and, when not baking cakes on television, Luis leads on the development and delivery of a number of digital marketing solutions.

Councillor Patrick McAuley, Stockport Council’s Executive Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, said: “The project is still fairly new – it launched in July with the first cabinet going live in Oldham, so already we are taking significant steps towards making Greater Manchester one of the world’s top 20 digital cities by 2020.

“I would encourage companies to book a place on the ‘Fibre for Breakfast’ event and discover how enhanced connectivity and digital technology could give businesses a real boost.”

Mike Blackburn, BT’s regional director for the North West, said: “High speed broadband is vital for many small and medium businesses and this event will show firms in Stockport its real value. Businesses want to thrive and not just survive and this new fibre network will give many businesses the edge in a high competitive local economy.”

To book your place at this free event please email your name, company details and contact information to econdev@stockport.gov.uk Please note places at the event are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

The £15 million Get Digital Faster partnership is being delivered by Transport for Greater Manchester and BT on behalf of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). The partnership will use public and private sector funds to bring high-speed broadband to 45,000 homes and businesses by March 2016 in areas outside of commercial roll-out plans. The European Development Fund North West has provided £4.9 million, BT has provided £4.6 million, and £3 million is from Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK). The local authorities (Stockport, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Trafford, Rochdale, Tameside and Wigan) have invested £2.5 million between them. To find out more about the programme visit the Get Digital Faster website at www.get-digital-faster.info

Notes to Editors

About ERDF

The Get Digital Faster project is part financed by the North West European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 to 2013.

The Department for Communities and Local Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme, which is one of the funds established by the European Commission to help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support local businesses and create jobs. For more information visit
https://www.gov.uk/erdf-programmes-and-resources#north-west