In the early 2000s, the government wanted to encourage us all to become computer literate and there were some very useful grants available to make this possible.  Colin Case, Chairman of the Parish Council, who knew a thing or two about applying for grants, worked with Les Foster, our vicar, to apply for grants he could find to create a Village Broadplace, fitting out the restored Victoria Rooms with every sort of electronic gizmo so far created.

In August 2006, even before the Broadplace was opened Colin, on behalf of the Parish Council,  created www.ruyton.co.uk with email addresses for anyone, yoland@rxit.org.uk  and web space for everyone such as www.laura.rxit.org.uk    See Parish Council website

In December 2006, the Broadplace was opened in a quiet laid back way to avail anyone in the village, especially older people and children who did not have computers at home, to come and find their way round the internet and the world wide web.  The selection of equipment was impressive – 6 laptops, 6 webcams 6 headsets, 1 ADSL modem and wireless transmitter, 1 projector, a huge screen 1 colour laser printer 1 scanner, 1 networked storage device 1 digital camera, even a piano keyboard, and Les built a secure cupboard in which to store the equipment when not in use.

This was the easy bit, but then there was the job of installing the huge range of software on the computers and connecting them to the new wireless network, which was achieved thanks to Colin`s knowledge and efforts.

The Broadplace soon became where people who did not know one end of a computer from another came to learn from scratch to trace their family history or other research, do desk top publishing or whatever took their fancy, and there was always someone there to teach, and to help with any problems.

The Broadplace also became a place for retired people to meet up and have lunch together.

Colin made a point of encouraging children who got off the bus from Corbet School who did not have computers at home, to come in and do their homework

This how Colin fondly remembers the children in those early days of the Broadplace.

“Five minutes after Primary School turnout there would be a mob of youngsters puffing and pushing to get a laptop to play Roblox. 

Ten minutes later their mums would arrive carrying violin cases, school bags and younger siblings, to

Collapse round a table while Lynda Foster made endless cups of tea.

Then 15 minutes until the bus from the Corbet arrived.

Lots of squabbling and moaning as they tried to chuck the younger children off their laptop.

But it always settled down and with a bit of encouragement from Les and I (with help from mums) they would all play together on the laptops for an hour or so.

Then grumbles as we had to start clearing up”.

When Rev Les Foster, who had worked with Colin Case to set up and run the Broadplace left Ruyton at the end of the summer of 2014, the facility had now fulfilled its aim and encouraged many older and young people to understand and make good use of the facilities.  However, times move so fast these days that now some of the equipment was getting dated and had been superseded.  It was time to close and dismantle what had become a friendly club for young and old to meet and learn new skills.

“When the Broadplace closed, we sold off the saleable items (mostly just the laptops) and gave the rest to local “good causes”.

The brightly-coloured keyboards went to a local charity for the partially sighted for example.

The projector went to our W.I. for their film evenings.

The proceeds from the sales went to pay for an internet connection for the café, although by then the laptops were too old and outdated. 

An enjoyable phase in the life of the Victoria Room, now overtaken by internet in virtually every home – partly due to the success of winning the Race to Infinity”.Colin Case

All this happened such a relatively short time ago, but it surely changed the lives of many young and older members of the community. We were certainly blessed with great leaders at that time.  2024 is a different world from 2007.

In 2010 BT had a three month campaign to encourage communities to register an interest in The Race to Infinity - getting fibre-optic broadband, before 31^st December that year, and the winners would be the first six communities to achieve at least 75% households to register their interest to be upgraded.  Baschurch and Ruyton telephone exchange was one of those 6 winners, over 90% of the community having voted.  This incredible success was due, thanks largely to the effort put in by Packwood School to phone every telephone number on the 01691 exchange.  Getting broadband so early made us something of a magnet for anyone running a business in the area. 

Having broadband is something we all take for granted these days, but it took a lot of effort by a small group of people to be one of the first exchange in the country to get fibre optic to our village.

	Industrious group working in The Broadplace

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