Happy First
Birthday to
Withernwick Village Website
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A Review of the Year
Introduction
It has been an eventful year for Withernwick, apart from the highly successful village fete and the refurbishment of the Falcon, the Withernwick Village Website first appeared on 8th December 2008; I would like to think that the website has been a part of this exciting renewal of Withernwick's spirit. So here is a report on the first year. I think it has been a great success considering it was built up from nothing - so very much worth celebrating, but still we need to reflect on the bits that have worked well and the bits that have either not worked well or may need a bit of tweeking in order to work well. Although I alone write the website, I have said all along that it belongs to all of you and so although I am going to make comments from my point of view, I would greatly appreciate honest comments from you.
The Hits
We have had about 5500 hits (probably about 500 will be me checking on the website), which is a lot for a village the size of Withernwick. Many of those have been from the villagers but one bit of 'luck' is that Withernwick is such an unsual word that when you type it into Google our website comes top of the list and so we have had quite a few hits from 'ex-pats'. It is really good that people living all over the world can so easily find our website, and I think that is one of the main successes. Indeed one reason I had for setting up the website was to bring the villagers together (abeit in a virtual way) but it has been a great by-product that we have brought Withernwick to the world!
The Accounts
These are not difficult, I pay £55 per year to upload the site and in return I have received £14 from business advertising and £11 from items for sale. So a net loss of £30 which I am quite happy to pay since I get so much pleasure out of writing the website. Indeed now I am living in Kuwait, writing the site is an essential activity for me, since it gives me something to do and keeps me in touch with home.
The Pages
The site has grown enormously over the year, the original main pages have remained and I've added various other bits (mainly via links from the home page). I will review the success or otherwise of each of the pages and sections.
1) The Home Page - This has become rather packed with links
and information. I do think it has to be like this, everything must
somehow be accessible from the homepage. But if anyone does have
suggestions on the layout, please let me know, I've looked at it so many
times, I suspect I might not be looking at it critically enough.
2) Latest News - This page is essential, but by the nature of
Withernwick, news is not going to happen at an alarming rate. I do see
news in the village as anything of interest, if you think its something
is interesting just let me know; especially as I'm not living in the
village, I do need you all to be reporters.
3)The Falcon - I am hoping to make more of this page when food starts. I
hope then to print menus, but also quiz and darts results. I will give
John the chance to use the page as he wishes.
4) St Alban's - Again this page is very much for St Alban's to use as it
wishes. I do now attach the parish newsletter each month (thank you to
Dave Smith), but I'm sure
there is more that it could be used for such as photos of events etc.
5) Photo Gallery - I still find this page very interesting even though I
know it so well. I still have a flick through the photos now and again
and always find something new. So I just need everyone to keep snapping
away, anything of interest, events, places, people, funny/silly etc so
long as it is in Withernwick, it will go here. Also I'm sure many of you
have old photos lurking around, so please dig them out and share them
with us all. The more photos the merrier!
6)History / Geography - These pages are just for information and
interest. But as with all pages, if you know of anything that would fit
on these pages, do let me know.
7) Nature - Again a page for information, but as with everything on the
website, I do depend on you to let me know what you see. All the better
if you have your camera handy, take a snap, so long again that it is
taken in Withernwick.
8)Pet's Corner - This one has been very successful, but I always want
more, so I'm sure there are some goldfish or stick-insects that we don't
have a photo of yet. So send me that photo of Jaws, Tiddles, Rover or whoever!
9) Hobbies and Interests - This is a page I hoped would be more
successful. I am sure many of you do have interests that you could share
with us all or even single events. I do think its a bit like a trendy
'team-bonding' exercise where we share our experiences - so share yours;
I am certain people will find them interesting and again the more the
merrier.
10) Items for Sale - Much to my surprise one of the less successful bits
of the website. I say to my surprise because it does work. I have
honestly sold £80 of stuff via this page. It is so simple and no
delivery charges. You would be amazed give it at try, you are only
risking 50p; and if its under £5 you can sell it for free.. Just take a photo and send it to me with some details and a
realistic price.
11) Local Services - Well I don't know how successful this page is, if
anyone advertises on it and has gained some business via it - please let
me know. And I do hope that you all try and use your local businesses;
the more we do so, the more our community will thrive and prosper.
12) Useful Links - All the links on this page are ones I've thought of,
so as with all of the site I do depend on you all to let me know if you
come across a useful link (the only one that is apparently banned is
Hull FC, no idea why myself, but please don't suggest it!).
13) Contact Us - This has become a bit congested but I have recently
tried to make it more user-friendly. But as with the homepage, if you
can suggest anyway of improving it, let me know - I will never be
insulted by anything you suggest, indeed I will love the fact that
you've looked at it critically.
Other sections:
Scuffy's Blog - By my "Withernwick Village Website
Hero" (For this year) Jacinta Murray. I always read this and it is always
really imaginative and funny. I do wish everyone would send me stuff
like this - I absolutely love it.
At this point I must acknowledge my other heros - John Witty, Doreen
Dunn and Terry Ireland for all providing loads of stuff - and everyone
else who a sent stuff - every little bit is heroic!
Desert Island Disks - This, I must admit, started as a bit of
self-indulgance on my part due to my passion for music. But I'm glad that
other people have joined in. I think it works by the same principle as
the hobbies page - a bit of "team-bonding". But don't let
that put you off, it really is worth a glance at other people's musical
taste; particularly when I look at the videos I find music I like that I
wouldn't have otherwise discovered.
Paul's Kuwait Blog - This is blatent self-indulgance but I do stress
that I would do the same or similar for anyone else. I am completely
open to suggestions even if something doesn't obviously fit somewhere, I
will always find a home for it.
Village Community Association / Parish Council - I have felt for a
while that the village ought to know about the 'political' activities
that go on. So I hope both organisation will supply with minutes and
that perhaps we can all make more use of our representatives.
Some Suggestions for New Things
Withernwick Walter - Dawn now has a teddy-bear called
Withernwick Walter which you can borrow and take on holiday with you.
You then have your photo taken with Walter somewhere illustrative of
where you are. I think this is a great idea, so I do hope people will
take it up.
One very high and mighty thought I had was that the website should
become an 'historical' record of life in Withernwick. The history of
'ordinary' people is by its nature ephemeral, so by sending photos and
writing down tales, you will preserve your history. Don't think history
has to be old, what was Withernwick like in the 1950's, where you a hippy
in the 1960's, where is that photo of you in your platforms from the
1970's and so on, even yesterday is history. So have a wade through that
photo album and get writing, then send them in. I do want future generations to
be able use the website to help discover
their own history.
Another unexpected aspect of the website as been in reuniting old friends.
I wondered if it was worth making up a page (Withernwick Reunited!) on the website where anyone
connected with Withernwick (past or present) could post their details, so
then if anyone came across the website (remember that is easy on Google),
they could easily contact who ever they wished. I'm sure we've all got
long lost friends and so long as they could remember you had something to
do with Withernwick, they could find you - and so much more easily than on
Friends Reunited!
Conclusion
Well I will keep writing the website, I do love doing so, probably
all the more now, since it keeps me in touch with the place I think of
as home. It is my ambition now you have seen it being successful that it
does become less and less of Paul Boyle and much more of Withernwick. I
have looked at other village websites and, although I say it myself, I
think ours is as good as any especially considering all the other
villages are much larger than ours. I would still like it to be the
combination of fun and information which I think is what has made it
successful. But remember most of all - anything goes, so long as
its not racist, sexist, homophobic etc I will find a home for anything
that you can think of to do with Withernwick. I don't delete
anything off it and it is another reason why I want as many things as
possible putting on it. So don't give up, I don't ever want it to be
'finished'
So thank you all for helping over the last year and let's all help make
it an even bigger success over the next year.
And next year can we have a calendar that the boys would like? !!!!
Paul (Kuwait)