14/4/2008Easy Way to get Online ... on Your Own Local Websites
JUST one month after the Evening Times Community websites were first launched a further 12 are up and running.
The demand has been so great we now have 36 areas covered.
The sites are giving an increasing number of Glasgow people the chance to reconnect with their communities, make new friends, catch up on the latest news, comment on what is happening around the city and reveal hidden talents.
And as we promised we are responding to requests for sites for specific areas.
Rosemary Marshall, chairwoman of the Riddrie and Carntyne Tenant and Residents Association, contacted us with an urgent request for information about starting their own site.
"We wanted to let as many people as possible know what is happening in our area," she said. "When we saw these community sites we were excited about getting one."
The Evening Times responded and along with Airdrie, Arden, Coatbridge, Dalmarnock, Govanhill, Ibrox, Pollokshields, Provanmill, Sighthill and Yorkhill, we now have sites for Carntyne and Riddrie.
Rosemary is a former teacher from St Philomena's who moved to Riddrie 45 years ago when she married her husband Jim.
She is hopeful the website can be used to communicate with people and highlightissues concerning residents such as litter, dog fouling and youth disturbance.
"We realise a lot of people miss what we say at our meetings," said Rosemary.
"The website will be a good way to let people know our concerns and make them more aware of what we do."
She also hopes it will be a good communication tool for the significant elderly population in the area.
Rosemary added: "There are a lot of elderly members of the community and they are getting more computer literate.
"It's important to them to know what's going on."
And the first 24, Anniesland, Baillieston, Bridgeton, Calton, Cardonald, Castlemilk, Dennistoun, Drumchapel, Easterhouse, Gorbals, Govan, Hillhead, Knightswood, Maryhill, Merchant City, Parkhead, Partick, Pollok, Robroyston, Shawlands, Springburn, Tollcross, Whiteinch and Yoker, are proving just that.
Among the users are schools, goalkeeping coaching schemes, amateur photographers, video film makers, community activists, poets and storytellers.
Craigton Councillor Alistair Watson regularly uses the Cardonald site.
He said: "I write newsletters every four months, and I tell people everything I do in them, but with these websites I can tell them immediately, it's fantastic. I can't understand why it hasn't been done before.â€ÂÂ
Sunny Govan Radio, winners of the Evening Times' Local Heroes Award, regularly use a number of the sites, and advertise their station on the notice board.
Jim McMillan, the radio's Outreach Worker, said: "It's a great way to get people to interact.
"It's a great networking tool, you can post links to bands we have on our shows, people from other areas check out what you're doing, and a lot of people use the websites because the local news is relevant to everyone."
If you have been one of the many people using the Partick website you may have seen a number of videos posted by David Fletcher.
Mr Fletcher, a 44-year-old cleaner at Glasgow University, has lived in Partick for more than 12 years and video has been a hobby for many more.
He said: "I've always been looking for an audience for my videos, and I'm surprised it's not been thought of before.
"It's a great opportunity to do something for the community.
"Something like YouTube is so global, I like the fact this is local and you can get links to local organisations."
He explained he has already experienced positive feedback, after posting an article about the wizard Merlin's historical links with the area.
A member of the community council replied suggesting a statue should be erected in Merlin's honour.
And Mr Fletcher believes the websites have room for even more potential.
"It's a good start and the framework is there," he said.
"I want to encourage more people to put their own videos on the site and maybe even collaborate."
The sites have also been used to promote events, as Lyndsey Murison has found.
She is from the North Glasgow Healthy Living Community and is helping to run the North Glasgow 5k Fun Run on April 20.
After posting on the Springburn site, she said: "I was sent the link to the North Glasgow Housing Association who thought it would be a good idea to highlight the run.
"It's a good way of promoting our event, and hopefully it will help help us get even more people to run on the day."
Andrew Wale, Convenor of the Communications Committee of the Presbetery of the Church of Scotland, believes the sites offer a way forward to promote the activities, organisation and events linked to the church.
He said: "It was suggested I look at them and I was enthusiastic about what I saw.
"I want to make the churches see what great potential they have for letting people know what is going on in the community, it will take us forward."
The demand has been so great we now have 36 areas covered.
The sites are giving an increasing number of Glasgow people the chance to reconnect with their communities, make new friends, catch up on the latest news, comment on what is happening around the city and reveal hidden talents.
And as we promised we are responding to requests for sites for specific areas.
Rosemary Marshall, chairwoman of the Riddrie and Carntyne Tenant and Residents Association, contacted us with an urgent request for information about starting their own site.
"We wanted to let as many people as possible know what is happening in our area," she said. "When we saw these community sites we were excited about getting one."
The Evening Times responded and along with Airdrie, Arden, Coatbridge, Dalmarnock, Govanhill, Ibrox, Pollokshields, Provanmill, Sighthill and Yorkhill, we now have sites for Carntyne and Riddrie.
Rosemary is a former teacher from St Philomena's who moved to Riddrie 45 years ago when she married her husband Jim.
She is hopeful the website can be used to communicate with people and highlightissues concerning residents such as litter, dog fouling and youth disturbance.
"We realise a lot of people miss what we say at our meetings," said Rosemary.
"The website will be a good way to let people know our concerns and make them more aware of what we do."
She also hopes it will be a good communication tool for the significant elderly population in the area.
Rosemary added: "There are a lot of elderly members of the community and they are getting more computer literate.
"It's important to them to know what's going on."
And the first 24, Anniesland, Baillieston, Bridgeton, Calton, Cardonald, Castlemilk, Dennistoun, Drumchapel, Easterhouse, Gorbals, Govan, Hillhead, Knightswood, Maryhill, Merchant City, Parkhead, Partick, Pollok, Robroyston, Shawlands, Springburn, Tollcross, Whiteinch and Yoker, are proving just that.
Among the users are schools, goalkeeping coaching schemes, amateur photographers, video film makers, community activists, poets and storytellers.
Craigton Councillor Alistair Watson regularly uses the Cardonald site.
He said: "I write newsletters every four months, and I tell people everything I do in them, but with these websites I can tell them immediately, it's fantastic. I can't understand why it hasn't been done before.â€ÂÂ
Sunny Govan Radio, winners of the Evening Times' Local Heroes Award, regularly use a number of the sites, and advertise their station on the notice board.
Jim McMillan, the radio's Outreach Worker, said: "It's a great way to get people to interact.
"It's a great networking tool, you can post links to bands we have on our shows, people from other areas check out what you're doing, and a lot of people use the websites because the local news is relevant to everyone."
If you have been one of the many people using the Partick website you may have seen a number of videos posted by David Fletcher.
Mr Fletcher, a 44-year-old cleaner at Glasgow University, has lived in Partick for more than 12 years and video has been a hobby for many more.
He said: "I've always been looking for an audience for my videos, and I'm surprised it's not been thought of before.
"It's a great opportunity to do something for the community.
"Something like YouTube is so global, I like the fact this is local and you can get links to local organisations."
He explained he has already experienced positive feedback, after posting an article about the wizard Merlin's historical links with the area.
A member of the community council replied suggesting a statue should be erected in Merlin's honour.
And Mr Fletcher believes the websites have room for even more potential.
"It's a good start and the framework is there," he said.
"I want to encourage more people to put their own videos on the site and maybe even collaborate."
The sites have also been used to promote events, as Lyndsey Murison has found.
She is from the North Glasgow Healthy Living Community and is helping to run the North Glasgow 5k Fun Run on April 20.
After posting on the Springburn site, she said: "I was sent the link to the North Glasgow Housing Association who thought it would be a good idea to highlight the run.
"It's a good way of promoting our event, and hopefully it will help help us get even more people to run on the day."
Andrew Wale, Convenor of the Communications Committee of the Presbetery of the Church of Scotland, believes the sites offer a way forward to promote the activities, organisation and events linked to the church.
He said: "It was suggested I look at them and I was enthusiastic about what I saw.
"I want to make the churches see what great potential they have for letting people know what is going on in the community, it will take us forward."