Arran Digital Blacksmith

Digital Blacksmith (DB) is a community skills hub on Arran, run by Larkhill Consultancy Limited, that emulates the traditional blacksmith's role by helping local people and businesses apply digital technology to everyday problems. It was created to address low and uneven internet access in remote and rural areas (as low as 5-10% of the population in some places) and the retreat of local services such as GP surgeries and schools.

Enable local businesses to exploit digital technology for sustainable growth; help people access services regardless of where they live; build interest among young people in local digital careers; and close digital skills gaps that limit connectivity and access to services in rural areas.

DB staff combine personal communication and digital skills to bridge the gap between technology/resources and local needs. The hub earns revenue by applying digital skills to local business challenges, and partners with schools, libraries and charities to build the wider community's digital skills. It works with University of Northumbria researchers on community co-design for the island's sustainability, and with University of Strathclyde to trial rural IoT applications. Schools are engaged by using students as digital "influencers" within their communities.

Key learning points are that DB sustains its technical expertise through business revenue rather than grant dependency, and that it works closely with EcoSavvy on sustainability to keep the initiative viable, aiming toward a circular local economy.