Highland Broadband, the only full-fibre provider building exclusively in Scotland, has partnered with the Camanachd Association, the governing body for the sport of shinty, to help sustain the “Shinty’s Story” exhibition.
As Highland Broadband scales to bring ultrafast connectivity to over 150 towns and villages, the provider is also investing in the Highlands’ cultural heart. Through its Affiliate Scheme, the company has created a vital funding stream for the Camanachd Association, supporting the permanent, bilingual exhibition at Bught Park that celebrates shinty’s rich heritage.
Ruari Davidson, Chief Executive of the Camanachd Association, highlighted the impact of the scheme, saying, “The relationship we’ve established with Highland Broadband is vital for the long-term development and growth of Shinty’s Story. This financial support helps us maintain the space and retain our exhibition officer, ensuring that this living part of our heritage continues to evolve and educate visitors for years to come.”
The scheme allows individuals, community groups, and commercial partners to earn rewards for successfully referring new customers to their rural full-fibre network. This partnership ensures that funds raised contribute directly to the exhibition’s longevity, helping to refresh artefacts and maintain the interactive space.
Steven McKenzie, Chair of the Culture and Heritage Committee at the Camanachd Association, added, “Our partnership with Highland Broadband is a fantastic initiative. Through the referral scheme, the money raised goes directly back into maintaining Shinty’s Story. It is incredibly important that this exhibition remains a resource for our communities and future generations to learn about our history, and this collaboration helps secure that future.”
Highland Broadband’s network now connects more than 50 per cent of rural communities in the Highlands and is on track to provide full-fibre connectivity to over 150 towns and villages in the coming year. It is currently undertaking a major recruitment drive across the Highlands to support its full-fibre network expansion.
Colin Woodward, Managing Director of Highland Broadband, said, “Our mission is to close the digital divide by bringing world-class infrastructure to the communities that have been overlooked by national providers. While we do that, it’s important to us to support some brilliant community organisations, and our commitment to supporting cultural heritage like Shinty’s Story is particularly rewarding as you can see the benefits in the preservation of local history.”
Highland Broadband’s rollout in the Highlands, Argyll, Moray, Lothians, Fife and Stirlingshire, where residents have experienced poor access to ultrafast full fibre broadband, has been supported by investment from the Scottish National Investment Bank, whose investment is aligned to its mission to reduce place-based inequalities and accelerate opportunity.
The upgrade follows a wider trend in The Highlands, which recently saw the village of Halkirk transition from having some of the UK’s slowest internet to its fastest, thanks to Highland Broadband and the UK government’s Project Gigabit, which invests in broadband upgrades in hard-to-reach areas that would otherwise be left behind.