Connecting Bristol

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has announced that it will be investing in a Digital Economy ‘Catapult’ Centre to help spur innovation and adoption of new technologies. The centre will help transfer knowledge and experience from the digital industries to non-digital businesses and help them see the value that it could add to their business.

The centre is also likely to be involved in researching what impact new technologies, such as augmented reality, will have on existing platforms and the potential infrastructure changes needed to support them, and also in looking at how our devices, our clothes, our cars, and other consumer goods become better connected to enhance the physical nature of our lives.

The funding for the Centre will come from a £200m pot allocated for a network of new Catapult Centres across a number of different industry sectors. As yet though, there has been no decision as to where the Digital Economy ‘Catapult’ centre might be located…..anyone else thinking Bristol would be ideal?

In partnership with BT and Citizens Online we are offering basic Internet courses around Bristol for people aged 55 and over, as well as adults who have a disability. Please complete this form and we will contact you with details of courses which may be suitable for you.

A new three-year initiative to help Bristol people access the internet, learn new skills and find out more about computers and technology is to be launched on 24th January.

The Get IT Together project in Bristol is funded by BT, supported by Bristol Council and delivered by national charity Citizens Online. The project is part of the nationwide Get IT Together programme, backed by BT, Nominet Trust and a variety of local partners.

Get IT Together Project Coordinator, Marius Jennings, will be working in partnership with local charities, libraries, schools and community groups to make sure basic IT courses are available across the city, particularly focusing on helping older people and people with disabilities.

Marius is hosting a launch event at The Pavilion, 12A Harbourside, Bristol from 10:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday the 24th of January. The event is open to all community groups in Bristol, as well as any individuals who would like to discover the benefits of the internet and IT.  Individuals are invited to take part in a relaxed, free taster Internet session, enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and find out about other projects in the area.

Community groups including Wecil, The Vassall Centre, Link Age, Age UK Bristol, Bristol Older Peoples Forum, Action for Blind People, CSV Avon, and Slivers of Time, will be attending to find out how the Get It Together project can help their members become more digitally savvy.

Do come along on the day to see how the inetrnet and IT could be useful to you. If you have any questions contact Marius on 07785 462568 or email marius.jennings@citizensonline.org.uk.

Wikimania is an annual international conference for users of the wiki projects operated by the Wikimedia Foundation. The conferences have been running since 2005 and have been held in Germany, USA, Taiwan, Egypt, Argentina, Poland and Isreal…but not as yet in the UK.

Support is growing to hold Wikimania 2013 right here in Bristol. The City has a strong relationship with Wikimedia, a pedigree of holding international digital/ creative events, and a dynamic cohert of businesses in the digital realm.

You can support Bristol’s bid to host Wikimania 2013 by adding your name to the list of supporters on the wiki page (you will need to be a wiki editor).

According to a new report by the Work Foundation, innovation ecosystems in cities could be critical in driving sustainable economic growth. Becasue of their relative size Cities can bring people together, provide infrastructure for the exchange of ideas and enable access to large markets.

Local Government can contribute to the development of this type of  innovation ecosystem by providing leadership around innovation and ensuring that educational opportunities are of the right calibre, and the right support is available to enterprise.  Authorities can also adopt procurement policies that encourage and foster local innovation and stimulate the market for new goods and services.

Broadly speaking the recommendations for Cities which are identified like Bristol as Service Sector Innovators are;

• build an evidence base – identifying those parts of the service sector in which they have a particular strength (for Bristol these would include financial/professional services and creative industries)
• develop university-business links
• use public procurement to create markets for new goods and services – leveraging private investment as well as making public services more efficient
• develop effective networks of local firms, intermediary institutions and universities.

The Technology Strategy Board is running a competition to encourage developers to create games that support their work in addressing power distribution and the management of demand. There are looking to support work around cognitive design and social gaming to generate novel, demand side, consumer focused technologies.

Some of the ideas they suggest as examples include;

• A multi-platform app on smart phones or tablets that talks to individual smart meters
• A Sim City style game featuring real time data
• A vertical application for smart meter data with gamers demonstrating real-world energy usage, related carbon emissions and efficiency

To explore the possibilities, Creative Industries KTN and the Pervasive Media Studio are hosting a ‘Partnering for Innovation’ event at the Watershed Media Centre in Bristol on 16 January 2012. It will bring together people from the games and design sectors with businesses and organisations in the energy supply chain to:

• Network with other organisations
• Gain an understanding of developments in Smart Energy space
• Explore the themes for the competition and the potential role of creative businesses
• Make contacts and discuss potential collaborations

If this is a challenge that interests you and you would like to take part in the event, please register your interest with anita@creativeindustriesktn.org

The South West iNet has announced that there will be three new funding opportunities for South West Microelectronics in 2012, with the first launching on 16th January.

The competition is being run to support the innovative use of microelectronics technology in new products and services. It offers grants of up to £10,000 to enable expertise to be used by a company.

More information will be made available on the South West Microelectronics iNets website when the competition opens.

Bristol will be in the first wave of Cities starting up local TV services. The Government has announced that an initial cohort of 20 Cities could have stations operating by 2014, with a further 24 to follow later.

These local TV channels could deliver a range of new content to viewers such as;

• “hyper local” news
• Student films
• Local music, comedy and theatre
• School and college sports reports

The legislation enabling the stations to operate is still to be passed, but the Government hopes that the first local stations will be licenced around summer 2012.

BT have revealed that more than one million South West homes and businesses will have access to super-fast broadband by the end of next year. Some of the communities to be added to the roll out include Bedminster, Bishopsworth, Eastville, Henbury and Kingswood.

Barbara Janke, Bristol City Council leader, said:

“Bristol is well-known as a digital leader amongst cities.  It is very welcome news that more communities and companies across Bristol are going to have access to super-fast broadband. The investment means faster connections, better access to online services and more incentive for people to get online.

“We are keen to work with partner providers such as BT to make sure the infrastructure is there for our companies to thrive and grow, and all our residents have the opportunities to benefit from using the internet.”

For more information on Openreach’s super-fast broadband programme visit www.superfast-openreach.co.uk

A new initiative of up to £125 million is being set up to improve the competitiveness of UK advanced manufacturing supply chains.

The fund will help UK supply chains grow and achieve world class standards while encouraging major new suppliers to come and manufacture here.

The Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative will support innovative projects in key manufacturing sectors including aerospace, but will also target newer growth areas, some of which are developing rapidly in Bristol, such as energy renewables and other low carbon sectors.

The competitive fund will invite applications early in the new year, and more details will appear on the Technology Strategy Board website as they become available.

The University of Bristol is running a series of innovative adverts in various national newspapers and on billboards at Paddington and Birmingham New Street Stations. The advert incorporates a Quick Response (or QR) code into the design, which once scanned takes the user to an exclusive section of the University of Bristol’s website.

David Alder, director of communications and marketing at the University of Bristol said:

“As one of the most highly sought after universities in the UK, it was important to ensure people knew that we were now able to offer a small number of additional places for study. We regularly have to turn away a significant number of high-achieving individuals due to the huge competition for places at Bristol and so getting this message out there was very important.”

In his autumn statement the Chancellor George Osbourne has announced funding to create a hub of super-fast cities with broadband speeds of between 80 to 100Mbps and city-wide high-speed mobile connectivity.

£100million has already been set aside to enhance connectivity in London, Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff, with up to 6 more cities to be chosen by National competition. Once the terms of the competition have been announced we will be making sure that Bristol’s case is well represented. We will post up more information as it becomes available.

Nominet have launched a new ‘Accidental Outlaw’ campaign which highlights that we are all in danger of becoming ‘accidental outlaws’ by not fully understanding how the law affects us online.

They have launched a free online test which lets consumers test their understanding of how the laws apply online and check out how to stay out of trouble. www.knowthenet.org.uk/accidentaloutlaw

They also commissioned research which explored consumers’ ability to spot online activities that break the law.

On average 44% of people were unable to correctly identify illegal activities when presented with a range of possible online scenarios including defamation, copyright, infringement and hacking.

Read more about the research here: http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/releases/?contentId=8863

Marius Jennings

A new three-year initiative in Bristol will help local people access the internet, learn new skills and find out more about computers and technology. The project, called Get IT Together, is focused on helping older people and individuals with disabilities gain basic IT skills. Sessions are tailored towards the learners’ own personal interests and are delivered by friendly, approachable tutors.

Project Coordinator Marius Jennings is working in partnership with other charities, libraries, schools, community groups and agencies to see that basic IT courses are available throughout the city, with the aim of breaking down barriers to  learning, strengthening community relations and helping residents become more digitally included.

Marius is based at Bristol City Council’s digital agency Connecting Bristol. Should you be interested in attending a course, or becoming a volunteer tutor, please write to Get IT Together, Room 404, The Council House, College Green, Bristol, BS1 5TR.  Alternatively contact Marius on 07785 462568 or email marius.jennings@citizensonline.org.uk

15 free places are available at a special workshop at the NextGen conference that will explore the role Next Generation broadband will play in driving economic growth, business success and regeneration in the Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone.

The workshop is being held on 16 November, between 10am and 1pm. It will feature presentations by key speakers at the UWE Exhibition and Conference Centre, Bristol, and a guided tour of the Zone. It forms part of the Next Gen 11 conference and exhibition, the UK’s premier platform for Next Generation broadband infrastructure investment.

To book a place, which are offered on a first come first served basis, contact robin.mcdowell@bristol.gov.uk . Please indicate whether you wish to attend both the presentations and tour, or the tour alone.

Those who take up the offer of free places at the workshop will be given a complimentary pass for Day 2 of the Next Gen 11 conference.

Next generation broadband is going to unlock a range of new opportunities as it rolls out across the UK. The first superfast exchages are already appearing in the City and will be quickly followed by more in the months to come.

According to Openreach, the body responsible for the UK’s local access network infrastructure,  these upgrades can deliver superfast broadband download speeds of upto 40Mbits/s and upload speeds of 15Mbit/s. With this you can download a music track in less than 5 seconds or watch TV online in 3D or HD. It could also realise the full potential of a host of new services such as telehealth care or telepresence videoconferencing.

If you are interested being one of the first people in Bristol to benefit from next generation broadband find out more at the Openreach website at www.superfast-openreach.co.uk.

Bristol is undoubtedly a creative city, and in the 6 week run up to Christmas five Bristol-based creative groups will be showcasing original paintings, illustrations, crafts and gifts from over a hundred artists.

Made in Bristol has acquired three, previously empty, shop units within Cabot Circus shopping centre to operate as ‘pop up shops‘ to promote and sell the work of some of this City’s diverse and talented artists.

For more information on this and other creative projects in the City visit Pop up Bristol.

As part of their Media Policy Project series the London School of Economics have released a policy brief on the current state of digital inclusion.

The authors suggest that although there is improvement, there is an entrenched digital underclass emerging particularly amongst those with lower education levels and no employment. These individuals are the most likely to rely most on government services, and as these services become “digital by default”, this will leave many struggling to access essential support.  The report questions the current focus on provision of infrastructure, suggesting that other criteria such as quality of access, skills, motivations and effective, sustainable use should all become elements of the inclusion picture.

A new three-year initiative in Bristol will help local people access the internet, learn new skills and find out more about computers and technology. The project, called Get IT Together, is focused on helping older people and individuals with disabilities gain basic IT skills. Sessions are tailored towards the learners’ own personal interests and are delivered by friendly, approachable tutors.

Project Coordinator Marius Jennings is working in partnership with other charities, libraries, schools, community groups and agencies to see that basic IT courses are available throughout the city, with the aim of breaking down barriers to  learning, strengthening community relations and helping residents become more digitally included.
Should you be interested in attending a course, or becoming a volunteer tutor, please write to Get IT Together, Room 404, The Council House, College Green, Bristol, BS1 5TR.  Alternatively contact Marius by email marius.jennings@citizensonline.org.uk

The Bear Pit has long suffered with a reputation as a less than convivial public space. The Bear Pit Improvement Group have been working hard to challenge this and are begining to see the results.

BBC Magazines staff plant up beds in the Bear Pitt

Connecting Bristol played its own small part in the story, enabling free to access wifi in the area so that people might be encouraged to head there to grab a coffee and check their email in their lunch hour, or a break during a shopping trip. Some of the other members of the group have planted flower beds or held events to draw people in and show the space being used positively.

There have been quite a few positive comments left on Qype about the work that’s gone into the Bear Pit, if you have a comment or suggestion they would love to hear it. You could even join the Facebook group and get involved in some of the work.