Welcome to CoNet ...
... the information Network for Coquetdale and its Community.
CoNet is a series of information screens in Rothbury and the Coquet Valley, displaying information on community events, activities and opportunities.
CoNet is a series of information screens in Rothbury and the Coquet Valley, displaying information on community events, activities and opportunities.
The project arises from a similar scheme in Glendale, where they had a number of screens like the one shown here, and are part of a Newcastle University research project into how technology can help rural communities.
Development was by Stuart Nicholson who gave a presentation to interested groups and individuals in the Parish Hall back in the autumn of 2016, and it was decided to see what the system could do for Rothbury and Coquetdale.
The project has funded development and initial implementation costs, and because there is already a well-established information flow through the Upper Coquetdale News Group (which publishes the local "Over The Bridges" magazine), it was decided to have CoNet work with the group.
Information is displayed as a series of slides which cycle through and anyone who would like to host a screen is welcome to contact us. Funding from the University for the physical hardware is no longer available from the University - however, CoNet has some limited funds and hardware available (or hosts may like to contribute towards the £200 for the installation).
All that is needed is for the screen & (tiny) computer to ...:
By "direct" we mean being able to logon without needing to go through a gateway or proxy page, and with a login that rarely changes (host password changes require a visit to update the screen).
The first screens were up and running in July 2017 for the Rothbury Traditional Music Festival, although the first few months were not without lots of teething problems (and patience on the part of those hosting the screens). As of Summer 2023, the current screens are:
If you have any questions, would like to host a screen, would like information displayed or would like to volunteer to help (either assisting with the editorial work, liaising with those who would like to host a screen or with installing screens) please get in touch via email to admin@conet.uk.
If you'd like to have an event promoted, contact the editor editor@conet.uk for details of how this can be done. However, please note that CoNet has a strict policy of no political or commercial advertising, although hosts may have slides uploaded to their own screens to promote their own services or events, provided that these are limited to one or two at a time.
9th November, 2023