Four local organisations receive funding to help people feel more connected, confident and included

Scottish independent broadband builder and provider GoFibre has awarded £12,000 to four

charities and community organisations across the Scottish Borders through its GoFurther Fund. The four £3,000 awards will support local projects that will help people across the region feel more connected, confident and included.

The GoFurther Fund forms part of the Borders-born provider’s social impact programme, supporting initiatives that strengthen community wellbeing, enhance digital inclusion, promote internet safety and deliver environmental benefits in areas served by GoFibre’s full fibre network.

The four GoFurther Fund recipients are Cornerstone Community Care in Galashiels, The General Store in Selkirk, Stable Life near Selkirk, and the Hawick High School Inclusion Hub in Hawick.

Andrew Will, Service Lead at Cornerstone said: “GoFibre’s GoFurther Fund backing means we can make the Borders Hub more available to the people who rely on it.

“Having a regular, welcoming place to meet, share time together and build friendships really matters for adults with learning disabilities, autism and complex care needs. This support will help us to meet those needs and deliver for local people across the Scottish Borders.”

The General Store in Selkirk, a Repair and Reuse social enterprise and charity, will use the £3,000 award to support its free Monday drop-in Computer Clinic for over 60s. This particular group is recognised as regularly disadvantaged in the area of digital technology.

As the only organisation in the town repairing laptops and other digital devices for resale and reuse, The General Store sees first-hand how small tech issues can become major barriers. The world is becoming increasingly digital with many vital services now only accessible online. The Computer Clinic welcomes up to 400 visits each year, helping older residents tackle everyday digital challenges, build confidence using devices and stay safe online.

Sue Briggs, Chair of Trustees at The General Store said: “Every week, we see how a small tech problem can quickly shrink someone’s world, leaving residents feeling isolated and disconnected. Support from the GoFurther Fund will help us continue providing free, friendly local support so more people in Selkirk can use their devices confidently, remain safe online, and stay connected to family, services and their community.”

Stable Life is a charitable organisation supporting vulnerable children and young people aged 5-18 through funding to deliver equine-facilitated wellness sessions and supported volunteering opportunities.

The programme offers hands-on learning experiences designed to help young people facing barriers such as anxiety, neurodivergence or disrupted education to build self-esteem, improve mental wellbeing and develop future employability skills.

Mags Powell, Chief Executive at Stable Life said: “Young people who have had a challenging start often respond best to learning environments that feel real, stepping outside of the classroom. 

“Support from the GoFurther Fund strengthens the opportunities we can offer locally in a calm, hands-on setting where confidence can grow step by step. Over time, that can make a genuine difference to wellbeing, self-esteem and the skills young people need to move forward.’

The fourth organisation to receive funding is Hawick High School Inclusion Hub, which works with young people who are disengaged from mainstream education and have social, emotional and behavioural needs (SEBN).

The £3,000 grant will support a targeted programme of holiday activities and vocational learning opportunities throughout the year, including forest school sessions, gardening and outdoor learning, basic construction and supported pathways into further education throughout the year.

Molly Ballantyne, Inclusion Officer at Hawick High School said: “School holidays can be an especially challenging time when routine and trusted support are unavailable. 

“This funding will help us provide safe, structured and meaningful opportunities that build confidence and wellbeing, while also developing practical and vocational skills to support students in taking positive next steps.”

Since launching in 2023, the GoFurther Fund has supported 17 charities and community organisations across its network areas, in addition to the latest Borders-based recipients.

The latest awards come as GoFibre continues its full fibre rollout across the Scottish Borders and East Lothian as part of the UK government’s Project Gigabit programme.

Project Gigabit is the UK government’s programme to enable hard-to-reach communities to access lightning-fast, gigabit-capable broadband.

The Scottish Government is playing a key role in delivering Project Gigabit procurements in Scotland by administering and managing the delivery of the contracts.

To date, more than 6,500 homes and businesses are now able to connect to GoFibre’s network, with well over 1,000 already connected across the Scottish Borders and East Lothian.

With the network build now complete in Innerleithen and Oxton, work is taking place across Chirnside, Eyemouth and surrounding villages, Lauder, Denholm, Coldingham, St Abbs, and Jedburgh.

Further expansion is also underway in Kelso and Galashiels, where around 2,000 additional premises in each location are expected to benefit, contributing to the 20,000 total premises set to benefit across the wider region.

The GoFurther Fund reflects GoFibre’s deep-rooted commitment to the communities it serves, includes hiring locally to ensure engineering and support teams live where they work. To find out more about GoFibre’s social impact programme, visit gofibre.co.uk/social-value.