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At Hyperfast Networks, we believe investment in rural communities should deliver benefits that go beyond improved digital connectivity.
Alongside our work to bring fast, reliable Full Fibre broadband to some of Northern Ireland’s most rural and hard-to-reach areas, we are supporting a new environmental education initiative that will give young people the opportunity to learn more about biodiversity, native species and the natural environment around them.
Through a £10,000 investment from Fibrus, Hyperfast Networks is supporting Fibrus Green Connections, a new partnership with The Conservation Volunteers (TCV).
The programme will work with five primary schools across Northern Ireland over the next 18 to 24 months, delivering 25 interactive and hands-on workshops designed to engage pupils with their local environment.
As part of the programme, pupils will learn about biodiversity and native species, while gaining practical experience of growing trees from seed. Each school’s plant pot is expected to produce around 50 saplings, with approximately 300 new native trees expected to be grown through the programme.
The trees will ultimately be planted in local green spaces, creating a lasting environmental legacy for the schools and communities involved.
Fibrus Green Connections is designed to give pupils an opportunity to engage directly with nature and understand the role they can play in protecting and improving their local environment.
Through TCV’s practical workshops, pupils will learn how to nurture seeds into young saplings and discover the important role native trees play in supporting biodiversity and healthy ecosystems.
The hands-on approach means pupils can see the results of their work develop over time – from planting seeds and caring for young trees to eventually seeing those trees become part of their local environment.
Jenny Lennon, Managing Director of Hyperfast Networks, said:
“We are delighted to be partnering with The Conservation Volunteers to launch Fibrus Green Connections. This project will give pupils the opportunity to engage with nature and create a lasting environmental legacy for their communities. We are excited to work with the schools involved and see the project grow over the coming months.”
TCV’s Horticulture Lead, Edele Feenan, said:
“Our practical workshops are a great way to engage children in nature-based activities and instil a sense of ownership over the positive impact they can have on their own environment.”
The initiative forms part of a wider commitment to delivering social value alongside investment in Northern Ireland’s digital infrastructure.
Fibrus was awarded a £34.6 million contract to deliver Project Gigabit in Northern Ireland, bringing gigabit-capable broadband to more than 9,000 rural premises. The UK Government-funded programme is focused on extending high-speed connectivity to hard-to-reach communities and builds on the success of Project Stratum.
Project Stratum, delivered by Fibrus, extended gigabit-capable broadband infrastructure to more than 81,000 premises across Northern Ireland, with the project completed in June 2025.
While the primary focus of these programmes is improving digital connectivity, public investment in infrastructure also provides opportunities to deliver wider social value through areas such as employment and skills, education and environmental initiatives.
For Hyperfast Networks, that means looking at how investment in connectivity can contribute to the long-term development of the communities where we operate.
Reliable broadband is increasingly important to how people live, work, learn and access services. For rural communities in particular, improved connectivity can help create new opportunities for households and businesses while supporting greater participation in the digital economy.
But building stronger communities also means considering the environment in which people live.
That is why partnerships such as Fibrus Green Connections are important. While our network is helping connect communities digitally, TCV is helping young people build a stronger connection with the natural environment around them.
By giving pupils the opportunity to grow native trees, learn about biodiversity and take responsibility for something that will ultimately become part of their local green spaces, the programme aims to create a positive and lasting impact.
The approximately 300 trees expected to be grown through the programme will provide a tangible legacy for the participating schools and communities, while the workshops will help pupils develop a greater understanding of the importance of biodiversity and healthy ecosystems.
As the Project Gigabit rollout continues across rural Northern Ireland, our ambition is to ensure that our investment creates benefits that extend beyond the network itself.
Fibrus Green Connections is one example of how digital infrastructure investment can support wider social and environmental outcomes helping to create communities that are not only better connected, but also more sustainable for the future.
By investing in both connectivity and the communities we serve, we can help build a stronger legacy for rural Northern Ireland.