We are working with the One Community Foundation, enabling them to launch the QFutures Community Fund which will support projects that empower individuals through digital skills development.
Through the support from Quickline, the new fund is available for grants of up to £5,000 to eligible initiatives, with potential for three-year funding for the most impactful long-term, projects.
The grants will be targeted at projects focusing on:
- Digital skills training – helping people build essential digital literacy.
- Coding Clubs – inspiring the next generation of tech talent.
- STEM activities – encouraging learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths.
- Parental engagement – supporting families to foster digital learning at home.
Quickline is rolling out fast, reliable and affordable broadband to rural homes in communities across Kirklees as part of the UK government’s Project Gigabit. The collaboration with One Community Foundation is a key element of Quickline’s social values commitments under the Project Gigabit contract awarded for West Yorkshire in 2024.
Project Gigabit is the UK government’s rollout of lightning-fast, reliable broadband across the UK. The programme targets homes and businesses that are not included in the commercial plans of broadband companies, reaching parts of the country that would otherwise miss out.
Hayley Austin, General Manager at One Community Foundation: “At One Community Foundation, we are committed to creating lasting change by supporting grassroots initiatives that make a real difference. The QFutures Community Fund will enable local projects to equip individuals with essential digital skills, opening up new opportunities for education, employment, and community engagement. We’re proud to partner with Quickline on this initiative, ensuring that no one in our community is left behind in the digital age.”
Tamara Butterworth, Quickline’s Social Values Lead in West Yorkshire, said: “At Quickline, we believe that digital access should be an opportunity, not a barrier. By partnering with One Community Foundation, we’re helping to ensure that people in marginalised communities across Kirklees have the tools, skills, and confidence to thrive in an increasingly digital world. The QFutures Community Fund will provide vital support to projects that empower individuals, foster learning, and open doors to new opportunities and we’re excited to see the impact this initiative will have.”
In 2024 Yorkshire-based Quickline secured four contracts under the UK government’s Project Gigabit programme, which, on completion, will connect almost 170,000 homes and businesses to full-fibre broadband in hard-to-reach rural areas across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
As a result of the investment, Quickline will also expand their commercial network to a further 190,000 in these rural communities.
Learn more about the One Community Foundation for Kirklees, or follow Quickline on LinkedIn for the latest news and updates.
