Bath Digital Divide Collective
A community-led movement tackling digital exclusion across Bath & North East Somerset
The Bath Digital Divide Collective (BDDC) is a collaboration between Bath Bridge, Tech4Good South West, and a growing network of community partners. Together, we’re addressing digital poverty by connecting people, organisations, and resources to ensure everyone in Bath & North East Somerset (BaNES) can thrive in a digital world.
We know many brilliant initiatives already exist. Our role is to bring them together — creating a shared hub for collaboration, learning, and long-term action on digital inclusion and equality across the region.
Our Focus
We work across four key areas that shape our collective effort:
1️⃣ Networking & Influence
We convene local leaders, VCSEs, public services, funders, and tech partners to strengthen relationships and amplify joined-up action on digital inclusion.
2️⃣ Storytelling
We capture lived experiences and highlight the people, organisations, and communities driving change — helping to shape more informed, empathetic responses.
3️⃣ Micro-Experiments
We pilot small, community-rooted projects such as Digital Playground workshops and Tech Amnesty events — practical ways to test what works, learn, and scale impact.
4️⃣ Research, Learning & Advocacy
In partnership with the University of Bath, BaNES Council, and others, we generate insights and evidence to influence local strategy and investment.
Highlights and Impact
Since launching during the Bath Digital Festival 2023, the Collective has:
• Delivered 10 digital skills workshops, supporting over 50 residents.
• Engaged 300+ local people through talks and community events.
• Launched micro-experiments including a Digital Playground for families.
• Been named “Hub of the Month” by the Good Things Foundation for our community-led approach
Our current focus
We are guided by a new Community Leadership Group, chaired by Kate Morton (3SG BaNES) and including partners Southside Family Project, Age UK BaNES, Little Lost Robot CIC, 3SG BaNES, Community Wellbeing Hub BaNES, Bath City FC Foundation, Twerton & Whiteway Community Network, Keynsham Community Hub, WERN (West of England Rural Network), Share & Repair.
This group will help steer our collective strategy ensuring our work is community-led, evidence-based, and collaborative. This group is currently convening quarterly to establish priorities and action for the Bath Digital Divide Collective.
Bi-monthly virtual gatherings
Open to all partners and community members, we invite anyone interested in addressing digital inclusion in Bath & North East Somerset to join our bimonthly meetings 5-6pm online. Get in touch at ddc@bathbridge.co.uk if you'd like to know more.
Join the Digital Divide Collective
Join the next meeting of the Digital Divide Collective. Event dates are published via the Bath Digital Divide Collective LinkedIn Page, and you can also request to join the LinkedIn Group. Meetings are open to anyone interested in working with us to address the digital divide in those areas of our local community that are seriously disadvantaged and excluded from the digital society.
The Digital Divide
You’re far less likely to have access to the online world if you’re living on a low income. In fact, the lower your income the less likely it is. That means – increasingly so – not having access to the fundamentals of life. From social security, to healthcare, education and training, to finding work and applying for jobs – critical services are more and more online.
The Good Things Foundation's research has identified that over 90% agree that digital access is essential. But 𝟴.𝟱 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 people don't have basic digital skills to use the internet - and they're paying up to 50% more for necessities than their digitally included counterparts.
So digital inclusion is no longer something that’s ‘nice to have’ – it’s an essential. And being cut off from digital isn’t just an inconvenience – it compounds and exacerbates poverty. That’s no longer something we can ignore if we’re interested in a just society. (Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA)).
In May 2023 the DPA launched the National Delivery Plan, which “outlines an initial roadmap for ending digital poverty by 2030”.
Mission Six of that plan is “Increase local capacity to provide joined-up digital inclusion support to individuals and communities”; while we now have a national plan that aims to fix this issue in our society, it is on us locally in the tech sector to step up and play a part in acting on and delivering the outcomes of that plan.
The Situation in Bath
Bath is included in the affectionately coined “Silicon Gorge” (Wikipedia, 2019) which describes our region’s high density of technology expertise and innovation. Bath and North East Somerset Council (BANES) is ranked in the 2019 Indices of Deprivation as one of the 20% most affluent areas in the country (BANES, 2022).
However this average measure disguises the fact that there are pockets of deprivation across Bath and North East Somerset and Bath Food Bank supports over 5,000 people each year. The cost of living crisis is expected to result in 4,000 more people in BANES (including 1,500 children) falling into absolute poverty in 2022/23. Good Things Foundation research in 2024, "Exploring the relationship between deep poverty and digital exclusion" found that adults with very low incomes (<£11,500) are more than twice as likely not to have home broadband and 16% of people using food banks have no internet access. 52% of people surveyed in Bath & North East Somerset complained about their broadband connection (BANES, 2022).
As employment requires more digital skills, and access to key services moves towards digitisation, these statistics indicate a significant likelihood of persistent exclusion for many of Bath’s citizens.
Our founding partners
AgeUK Bath & North East Somerset
Bath BID
Bath Bridge
Bath Unlimited
BCS Digital Divide BCS Bristol & Bath Branch
Digital Poverty Alliance
Mayden
Quartet Foundation
Southside Family Project
Tech4Good South West
The House
Twerton & Whiteway Community Network
St Johns Foundation
West of England Combined Authority
We received a Magic Little Grant through the partnership between Localgiving and Postcode Local Trust. Postcode Local Trust is a grant-giving charity funded by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Localgiving is the UK’s leading membership and support network for local charities and community groups. Our project received £500 to support our Digital Divide events.
