News & Events

B4RN Volunteers Recognised With Lancaster CVS Awards

June 3rd, 2021
Author: Mark Gray
Posted In: Latest news

“Dad’s Army” member Colin Wightman was among the recipients.

B4RN volunteers are among those recognised by the Lancaster District CVS Volunteer Achievement Awards.

The awards (held 3rd June) had to be an online event on this occasion, celebrating volunteers’ dedication to their community.

This year, there were no categories or ‘winners’ – EVERYBODY deserves recognition!

Below, we highlight a number of B4RN volunteers who were nominated:

• Allen Norris (Dolphinholme) a leading light doing unstinting work building the local fibre network and helping many other areas.
• Andrew Skinner (B4YS) a life working in the NHS means he’s spending retirement helping people get good internet access to ensure they have every healthcare option.
• Caton & Brookhouse B4RN a great team who’ve connected hundreds of customers and provided ongoing support.
• Colin Wightman a member of the famed ‘Dad’s Army’, Colin helped dig over three parishes before going on to help others.
• Dave Collins (Hornby) a pillar of the village community, as well as his efforts for B4RN Dave has helped with saving the school, church, village hall and swimming pool.
• Flick Greenwood (Nether Wyresdale) worked tirelessly bringing the B4RN network to her parish inside just six months with a sense of humour throughout. Now a B4RN employee.
• Frank Brown, or Frank the Blow, is one of B4RN’s longest-serving volunteers. To get fibre to his farm he had to help four villages get online and continues to help others to this day. Overtown likes him so much they gave him the ‘keys to the city’!
• Jack Pickup a cave rescue leader who’s saved lives but also people’s sanity by bringing them fibre broadband. Never runs out of energy or enthusiasm.
• Bruce Alexander a now retired B4RN stalwart, as a volunteer his never failing humour and adaptability meant no problem conldn’t be overcome.
• Brock and Calder B4RN Community Group have brought a vital broadband service during the pandemic, going the extra mile fuelled with tea and cake!
• Heversham B4RN have worked with enthusiasm in bundles and showed grit and determination building their B4RN network. Have continued to support other groups.
• Granville and Jean Tunnicliffe Wilson (B4YS) have worked tirelessly helping build the fibre infrastructure. They are always helpful, patient and kind – leaving no stone unturned to help their neighbours.
• Hilary Dickinson (of the Chipping Chain Gang) flung herself into her project. She’s proactive and has learned to fuse fibre, connecting many of the community herself.
• Lesley Gee and Nick Ward (B4RNOK) superb organiser for their project. Made a massive difference to their village, getting the school and hall online. Continue to help villagers make the most of their B4RN connections.
• Martin Lange (B4YS) a B4RN volunteer of many years, the ‘captain’ has inspired lots of people day-after-day to help themselves and get fibre dug to their homes.
• Ray Newport (Hyperfast Dentdale) a determined man who took the B4RN network over some seriously difficult terrain. No job fazes him, he will tackle anything. Lives on rich tea biscuits!
• Steve Smithson (Caton & Brookhouse B4RN) has supported and driven a large part of the B4RN project in Brookhouse. A great inspiration who always helps everyone.
• Computer Club – the volunteer-run Computer Club has been helping B4RN customers with everything from recommending tech to the dark art of Wi-Fi for years. During the pandemic it has been running online as opposed to its usual home at Melling.