Currently, the majority of B4RN’s customer base is in the North West of England, with the new finance supporting B4RN to expand into the North East, focusing around the Northumberland and County Durham border.
B4RN’s mission is to connect underserved rural areas across the North of England, where traditional providers have often deemed infrastructure investment commercially unviable. The organisation is owned by over 3,300 members and reinvests profits back into the community, including providing free internet access to community assets such as village halls, local primary schools, places of worship, and more, along with supporting digital inclusion initiatives.
This latest funding builds on a longstanding relationship between Triodos Bank and B4RN. In 2019, the bank’s corporate finance team structured and raised a £3.3 million bond for B4RN, which helped the organisation scale its network and connect thousands of rural homes and businesses. Since then, B4RN has grown significantly, with more than 15,000 customers connected and a target to reach over 20,000 in the next five years.
Dinkar Suri, senior relationship manager at Triodos Bank UK, said: “B4RN exemplifies the kind of high-impact, community-led organisation we are proud to support. Its work not only bridges the digital divide but also strengthens rural economies and social cohesion. This new facility reflects our confidence in their model and our shared commitment to inclusive, sustainable development that helps people thrive.”
Tom Rigg, chief executive of B4RN, added: “Triodos has been a trusted partner since our 2019 bond raise, and the bank’s continued support is instrumental in helping us reach more communities. With this new funding, we can accelerate our rollout in the North East and ensure that even the most remote areas have access to world-class digital infrastructure.”
The new facility will enable B4RN to continue its mission of empowering rural communities through connectivity, supporting local enterprise, education, and resilience in the digital age.
Ruth Anderson, Chair of the Kirkoswald Community Shop in Penrith, Cumbria recently had B4RN full-fibre broadband installed and feels the store is now thriving with its reliant connectivity.
Ruth said: “The most important difference is reliability — no more dropouts, no more restarting the till, and I can now access the shop email account remotely from home. Before B4RN, we were paying for slow, unreliable internet. Now, thanks to our status as a Community Benefit Society, we have a free B4RN connection that works — and we’re saving money too.”
“Retailing is challenging, so getting a free B4RN connection truly made a difference for our community shop. The whole process was smooth, and it’s fantastic to see our community asset future-proofed and fully connected.”
“B4RN is excellent. No minuses, no plusses — just brilliant.”
For more information, please visit https://b4rn.org.uk/b4rn-north-east
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Notes to editors:
For further information and photography, please contact:
Ed Grattan
About Broadband for the Rural North
Broadband for the Rural North Ltd or ‘B4RN’ (pronounced ‘Barn’) was launched in December 2011 by a local volunteer group, led by industry expert Barry Forde (now retired). Registered as a Community Benefit Society, it can never be bought by a commercial operator and its surplus can only be distributed to the community or used to expand the network. The company’s initial share offering raised hundreds of thousands of pounds from the local community and the first ground was broken in Quernmore in March 2012.
B4RN’s affordable, community-focused model has won numerous awards in the decade since, while we are regularly used as a leading exemplar by national TV and press of what is possible both in terms of gigabit full-fibre broadband and an empowered rural community.
B4RN’s mission stands strong:
"To deliver the best internet service in the country to the areas that are hardest to reach, working shoulder to shoulder with, and for, rural communities, to realise the enduring benefits of greater resilience and connectivity."
About Triodos Bank
Founded in 1980, Triodos Bank has become a frontrunner in sustainable banking globally. As an independent bank that promotes responsible and transparent banking, it does not see any conflict between a focus on people and the planet and a good financial return. Instead it believes that they reinforce each other in the long-term.
Triodos Bank has banking activities in the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, Spain and Germany, as well as Investment Management activities based in the Netherlands but active globally. Triodos Bank co-founded the Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV), a network of sustainable banks. Together these banks want to grow sustainable banking and its impact on the real economy substantially.
Triodos Bank UK Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Triodos Bank NV. Registered Office: Deanery Road, Bristol, BS1 5AS. Registered in England and Wales Company No. 11379025. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under registration number 817008. VAT reg no 793493383.