Local Full Fibre Broadband Provider Lightning Fibre helps raise £186,574 for Hailsham, in partnership with Hailsham Active.

Local Full Fibre Broadband Provider Lightning Fibre helps raise £186,574 for Hailsham, in partnership with Hailsham Active.

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In 2021, Lightning Fibre and Hailsham Active teamed up with a unique financial partnership that enabled ‘grants specialist’ Annette Buswell from Step Up Sports Consultancy Ltd to identify and submit grant funding applications on behalf of a range of great projects across Hailsham. 

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Hailsham Active’s key role is to support local sports clubs and physical activity organisations in Hailsham and surrounding areas to develop and grow, promoting healthy lifestyles and inclusive activities for local people. Lightning Fibre Hyperfast Broadband is well known in the area for successfully delivering their services to local residents and supporting a range of projects and events including Hailsham Bonfire Night and the Hailsham Festival.

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The Lightning Fibre and Hailsham Active partnership has now secured almost £200,000 for Hailsham. Local groups who have benefited from funding include Fighting Fit Boxing Academy: women, teenage girls, mixed juniors boxing, and Hailsham Muay Thai Kick Boxing Club, which is targeting local residents, people on low income, and teenagers who want to improve their lives and physical and mental health.

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£5,980 was also secured for a Healthy Steps Exercise Referral programme. Working with key partners, Active Sussex, local GP surgeries, Lightning Fibre Hyperfast Broadband, and Andrea Meszaros of Andrea’s Fitness, the programme is designed to promote physical activity for people who have an existing health condition and are physically inactive. 

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Hailsham Town Council CIL funds have paid for a new path to be laid at Western Road Recreation Ground, Hailsham enabling people who could not access the grounds before (due to mobility, disability, age, parents with buggies) to get outdoors, exercise, and simply enjoy being close to nature. Funding was also secured for lighting the pathway, so it is safer after dark and accessible for all throughout the year.

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Steve Wennington, Director Hailsham Active, commented, “This is a great achievement for the community; we knew the partnership with Lightning Fibre would be successful, but the amount secured for Hailsham has been fantastic. The funding provided by Lighting Fibre has been vital to our success. The positive impact will be felt for years to come and thousands of people will benefit directly from the projects being funded by this initiative.”

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Ben Ferriman, Lightning Fibre CEO, added, “We are immensely proud of what we’ve achieved so far together, and we’re committed to another year of seed funding for Hailsham Active to help achieve even more for Hailsham.”

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Lightning Fibre is an independent network operator and Internet Service Provider based in Eastbourne, serving Hailsham and East Sussex with Hyper Fast Full Fibre Broadband. Speeds start from 150Mbps guaranteed at the modem, which is almost 4 times faster than the current average download speed for the area. A Full Fibre broadband network connection is more reliable than copper and better for the environment. The company has recently launched a social-tariff for households in receipt of means-tested benefits, for just £15 per month with a rolling 30 day contract.

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Photo: Ben Ferriman and Steve Wennington