Gaining Awareness for the Campaign

(Quick Link: To Vote head to the BT Website www.bt.com/racetoinfinity, by clicking here)
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Yesterday, delivered to the Penlon Road Estate, then over the hill down to the Cheese Factory, Chadzy's (who were very helpful, took a few extra for the desk), back towards CK's Supermarket. Mill St, and all houses/Industrial Estates within the triangle shown. 200 Leaflets in all, were delivered. 

After another day of Votes, at the moment, things aren't looking good for Newcastle Emlyn's bid to get Superfast Fibre Optic Broadband into the town. 5 Votes from 200 Leaflets isn't good (last Sunday was much better).

This part of the campaign - its about making people aware that there is potential to get a massive investment for the town, 'its up for grabs' - 5 Towns will win it - it could be Newcastle Emlyn, we should act smart and grab it for the town.

If you live on the Penlon Road Estate,  Mill St - and you know many of the residents - it really needs someone to rally round and get the people who just have Telephone Lines, to Vote/Register aswell. If you have a computer, offer to Vote online for them, just a case of talking to your next door neighbour. There are a lot of older residents on this estate, and by the looks of it they don't seem to be Silver Surfers.

Quite a few posters up in town now, thanks to everyone I've spoken to, and put up a Poster in their Window. It's about gaining awareness. We have 68 Days left to get the message out.

Penlon Road Estate

CK's, Cheese Factory, Mill St

Campaign Live on newcastle-emlyn.com

The Campaign is Live on Newcastle Emlyn's excellent website:
www.newcastle-emlyn.com.
A big thank you to Jeremy Clulow for helping with and supporting the Campaign.

I'm currently printing more Leaflets and Posters for delivery tomorrow (thu) then Saturday/Sunday. So we should see the numbers rise later next week. Fingers Crossed. Remember, its free to Vote, Closing Date 31/12/2010.
You don't have to have Broadband already to use your phone number as a 'Vote'/Register online. just has to be a BT Landline Number ie. 01239 710/711/712 etc, as said there is no commitment, its part of a national competition "The race to Infinity' to win it for our exchange.

more info/help with the campaign email:nofibre@gmail.com

Its a two way process - get involved.

Its a two way process - get involved. I'm intending to deliver Posters to Newcastle Emlyn town, Adpar and have setup this website, designed a Leaflet, and Poster. That's my part in this - I'm planting the seed.

I'm passionate about getting a level playing field for rural communities, regarding technology. I see Newcastle Emlyn as one of the 'Strategic Towns' in Wales offering Superfast Fibre Optic Broadband, so we can live and work near to our families. Being left out of this technology race isn't an option, well maybe for us - but not for our children. Its important for the next generation growing up in Newcastle Emlyn.

So do your bit 'Vote', show your interest at the BT Website here.

We all pay the same line rental, in an ideal world we should really expect the same level of technology/communications as everyone else. Business need it, we need it. We're a small community. The investment/credit crunch and targeted funds mean it won't happen without a campaign.

Everyone needs to do a little - otherwise this isn't going to happen. As a community we need to show 'an interest' in having the same technologies as London takes for granted - Superfast fibre optic Broadband.

It is possible for a Small Town like Newcastle Emlyn to be one of the 5 towns to win the 'Race to Infinity' competition by Voting/Registering at here.

Since yesterday we have 50 Votes out of a possible 1657. That's 25 more Votes/Registrations than yesterday, 20 a day would mean 1500 registrations at the end, but getting more than 75% of lines registered 'as interested' is the goal. We're actually ahead of Cardigan now.

Its free to enter, there is no commitment and you don't need to have Broadband to vote (you just need a BT Landline)- its just to say 'Yes I'm Interested' - in seeing Newcastle Emlyn get the latest technology installed. Potentially, every phone line connected to the Newcastle Emlyn Telephone Exchange needs to be registered 'as interested' - we have 74 days - its a tall order.

We really can't miss out any, Is there a house empty you know?, do you know the owner. - Contact them too. Estate agents can help with the Empty / for Sale houses by contacting the owners and highlighting that registering would be good for house sales/the area as a whole.

Rally round your neighbours, download and deliver Posters yourself.  Let me know - I can highlight areas on here that have been delivered to i.e. sub campaigns. So we know places that still aren't aware.

As a minimum, download and print off and post a few Posters through your neighbour's doors. If you know them - knock on the door and explain the campaign. If everyone just gets one other person to register, especially older people with just phone lines. We could actually win this.

Remember, you don't have to have Broadband already to use your phone number as a 'Vote'/Register online. just has to be a BT Landline Number ie. 01239 710/711/712 etc, as said there is no commitment, its part of a national competition to win it for our exchange.
'The race to Infinity'

If you have printing facilities, or want to help develop a better poster, or want to arrange a meeting regarding the campaign email. If you have contacts to get Businesses in the Area involved, that would be great too.

First Deliveries of the Poster / Leaflet

I began delivering leaflets today, starting at Cawdor Cars (click to zoom map) on the left side of Ebenezer St, onto High Street, past the new terraced houses (with severe subsidence), into Station Road.

On to the Industrial Estate with BCC IT, then out towards Pentracagal. I reached the sign for Newcastle Emlyn, then swapped sides, round a newish set of houses/cul-de-sac, then back towards Newcastle Emlyn.

Had to deliver to all the long driveways, back past Teifi Valley Building Supplies, upto and along Porth Street into Town. The Businesses on the right side of Newcastle Emlyn (Natwest etc), round to the Castle - where I finally ran out of leaflets.

Met one woman that wouldn't have Internet in the house and couldn't be persuaded to register. Never come across that before - first for everything. Met a lovely old man, who had a phone line, but hadn't a clue about Broadband itself. He understood the importance of getting the investment for the town, but hadn't anyone to help him register and seemed frustrated that he couldn't.
His neighbours chatted to me through their front window. They were very friendly, but new to technology - by the end of it - they were determined to access www.bt.com/racetoinfinity to find out more. Though they said if I hadn't have explained things, the leaflet would have probably ended up in the bin - as anything with technical terms generally did! (I liked their honesty!)

A thank you to the lads, Nick and Jay who initially thought I was a possibly a Jehovah Witness, but then realised I wasn't smartly dressed enough! They happily listened to my passionate pleas, why it was so important to Vote/Register

Campaign Poster Completed

Campaign Poster completed. This can be downloaded here (A4 pdf)

Campaign Leaflet completed.

The Campaign for Superfast Broadband is off the ground.
The Campaign Leaflet can be downloaded here (2 x A4 pdf)

Leaflet distribution in Newcastle Emlyn on 17th Oct 2010
Please register at www.bt.com/racetoinfinity because its hard work designing, delivering, updating blogs - do your bit, make sure all your neighbours are signed up too!