Broadband Technology is Food for Thought

News release

18th January 2013

It’s well known that Lincolnshire offers some of the best local food in the UK – it’s even got an award to prove it.

But people living and working throughout the county can’t always get a taste of what good broadband speeds and digital technology can offer owing to poor connectivity in many parts of Lincolnshire.

To showcase Lincolnshire food and drink and the potential of superfast broadband, Lincolnshire County Council’s onlincolnshire team will add a ‘wired’ element to the Select Lincolnshire Food and Drink Awards, bringing the event at the DoubleTree by Hilton Lincoln on 7th February to a wider audience.

Activity will include live streaming of the awards ceremony, live tweeting, interactive audience voting and video clips which will be available on the onlincolnshire YouTube channel following the event.

The live streaming will be available to watch from www.onlincolnshire.org

The ‘wired’ activity is being funded by the onlincolnshire project, with part-finance from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Angela Driver from onlincolnshire said the awards represent a chance to bring an event which honours the best food and drink producers in Lincolnshire to a wider audience.

“We have some wonderful food producers and dining establishments across Lincolnshire and our activity will help to showcase this to a global online audience,” she said.

“People attending the event, and those not there, will be able to see for themselves the power of the Internet and the commercial opportunities it provides.

“We will be using QR codes which guests can scan using their smart phone to cast their vote in a live poll of favourite chocolate flavours by a local chocolatier. The live votes will be displayed in a graph format so guests are able to see which flavour chocolate is in the lead and hopefully get involved to ensure their choice wins.”

“It’s all aimed at getting the message across to business in Lincolnshire that even simple things like having a good website or engaging with new and existing customers on social media can make a big difference to your bottom line.”  

This is the latest in a series of ‘wired-up’ events across the county. The onlincolnshire team is also running internet workshops throughout the year and providing free business support as well as organising Lincolnshire’s first ever digitial conference.

People can join in the conversation ahead of the Select Lincolnshire Food and Drink Awards by following #LFDA13 on Twitter or liking the onlincolnshire Facebook page, www.facebook.com/onlincolnshire

For more information about the other events or services on offer please visit www.onlincolnshire.org

Ends

Notes to Editors:

• In 2012 Lincolnshire saw off tough competition from Cornwall and Hampshire to be named Britain’s Favourite Food Spot. The accolade was delivered as part of British Food Fortnight, organised by Love British Food. Visit www.lovebritishfood.co.uk for more.
• onlincolnshire is a £57 million project run by Lincolnshire County Council which aims to provide broadband speeds of at least 24 Megabits per second (Mbps) for 90% of homes and businesses in the county, and a guaranteed 2Mbps for the remaining premises by 2015.
• onlincolnshire is part-funded by the East Midlands European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 to 2013
• Some Internet users in rural Lincolnshire experience speeds of less than 1 Mbps. The UK’s average broadband speed is 7.6 Mbps, according to Ofcom.
• The Department for Communities and Local Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme, which is one of the funds established by the European Commission to help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support local businesses and create jobs. For more information visit www.communities.gov.uk/erdf
• For more information visit www.onlincolnshire.org
• For more information on the Select Lincolnshire Food and Drink Awards, visit http://www.lincsfoodandfarming.org.uk/section.asp?catid=23791

Cerri Delaney
Shooting Star PR
01522 528540
07985 143990
cerri@shootingstar-pr.co.uk
www.shootingstar-pr.co.uk
t: @CerriDelaney

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