BT committed to connecting communities

Stephen Timms, MP, Minister for Energy, e-commerce and Postal Services has launched the third year of a nationwide award scheme - BT Community Connections - that aims to benefit thousands of community groups by connecting them to the world wide web.

BT Community Connections will award NEC internet-ready PCs to local communities and voluntary groups throughout the UK. Since the scheme started in 2000 more than 3,400 awards have been made to a diverse range of groups throughout the country. The scheme has enabled groups to access a wealth of information and communicate via the internet, opening up fundraising, promotional, recruitment and training opportunities.

BT has invested a further £1.3 million to improve and enhance the third year of the scheme and award thousands more NEC internet-ready PCs to the socially disadvantaged. New additions to the scheme include a fully interactive website, a streamlined application process, online judging and a chat forum for winning groups to pool information. In addition, BT is delighted to be working with Microsoft this year. Microsoft Community Affairs has donated software including Microsoft® Office as part of the enhanced winning package.

Stephen Timms MP attended the launch at a previous BT Community Connections award winner - Freightliners Farm in Islington, London. He said: "It is my pleasure to attend the launch of BT Community Connections - an award scheme that recognises the importance of the internet as a communication, information and learning tool. I strongly support a scheme that recognises the

needs of the local community and aligns itself with the Government's initiative of getting the nation online by 2005 - to access jobs, learning opportunities, funding and other services."

Freightliners Farm provides a clear example of how an internet-ready PC can help local communities. The farm provides a calm environment in which young people, that live in deprived areas of North London and who have been excluded from school, can develop and learn. As well as being taught curriculum subjects they are also given practical training about animal care and running the farm. The BT Community Connections award has enabled young people to access the internet as part of their studies; allowed the farm to build its own website to attract additional funds and new volunteers and to promote the work that it does within the community.

Beth Courtier, head of BT's charity programme, said: "We are extremely excited to be launching the third year of BT Community Connections. The internet is such an integral part of all areas of modern life - from the way we communicate, in the workplace and way beyond. BT Community Connections aims to benefit those who wouldn't normally have access to the internet. The success of BT Community Connections in previous years has proved that the scheme is making a significant difference to the way in which many community groups operate. We at BT are proud to continue to fund an award scheme that has such a positive impact on so many peoples' lives."

Matt Lambert, director of Government Affairs, Europe, Middle East and Africa for Microsoft said of the partnership: "We are pleased to support the third year of BT Community Connections award scheme through the Unlimited Potential Programme. We are looking forward to working with BT to help many more people across the country to realise their potential through IT."