Praa Sands Community Centre plugged into free full fibre broadband

A stone-built hall above the beach that hosts everything from karate to a monthly film club has just been handed one of the fastest internet connections in the county, and it did not cost the centre a penny.

A free connection, three years guaranteed

Praa Sands and District Community Centre has become Wildanet’s latest Community Hub, with a free ultra-fast full fibre connection now running into the building. It has been delivered as part of the UK Government’s Project Gigabit programme, which is funding faster broadband in rural and hard-to-reach parts of the country. The connection will be available to the centre free of charge for an initial period of three years.

Peter Thompson, Chairman of Praa Sands and District Community Centre, said the timing could not be better. “We are really pleased that the Community Centre is now connected to Wildanet’s full fibre network. The Centre is used by so many people, groups and organisations, and having a reliable connection will be a real benefit both for the day-to-day running of the building and for what we can offer the community in the years ahead.”

A building with something on most nights

The registered charity (number 294357) already runs a packed calendar. There is a live event every month and a monthly film club, alongside local art groups, a fortnightly lunch club, and weekly keep fit, yoga and karate classes. Guitar club, bridge club and indoor bowls all use the space, along with other workshops and community events, and the popular Summer Fayre. The building is also an important venue for local meetings, fundraising events and celebrations.

What the connection actually changes

A faster, more reliable line touches almost everything the centre does. It means dependable Wi-Fi for film screenings and streamed content, and smoother online bookings, ticket sales and event promotion. Stallholders and fundraising events can take card payments without a signal dropping out, and classes and community groups get better access to digital resources. Hirers get a connection they can count on for presentations, hybrid meetings and online training, which should make the building an even more useful and inclusive resource for the area.

Marked at the Summer Fayre

The installation was formally marked during the Praa Sands and District Community Centre Summer Fayre on 15 August.

Simon Hughes, Chief Commercial Officer at Wildanet, said community venues like this sit at the heart of village life. “As a local company, we’re proud to invest in the communities we serve. By providing reliable, high-speed connectivity, we hope to support the Praa Sands Community Centre to continue everything it already does for local people, while opening up even more possibilities for the future.”

Part of a wider rollout across Cornwall

Praa Sands is the latest stop on a longer list. Previous Project Gigabit community hub installations include Godolphin Cross Community Association and St Keverne Parish Hall, with more community sites still to follow. Wildanet currently has full fibre connection capability for more than 1,500 homes and businesses in the area, with its rollout programme continuing.

Anyone wanting to check what is available on their own postcode can do so at wildanet.com.