Web page report

This report brings notification that we now have a new web site - www.derbyda.org.uk. Please have a look and see what you think, lots of time and effort has been spent trying to develop this new site, which I think is a major improvement. I plan to add more information, but please let me know your thoughts and ideas. 

The background behind the change lies with a wish to promote a better image. The site has been hosted by Virgin since 1999 and has had more than seven thousand visitors. Research showed that the majority of other association web sites have a more descriptive address. The new address was chosen at the February meeting of the General Committee and plans were made to get it up and running by the AGM. 

The major changes with the new site are as follows.

All towers now have a designated email address, e.g. to contact Eckington, email sent to [tower]@derbyda.org.uk will automatically be forwarded to the appropriate contact. If there are no ringers at a particular tower with this facility the District Secretaries have kindly offered to act as intermediaries. This facility means anyone looking at our site can email direct to the tower they wish to contact. Towers do not have to do anything, only keep me up to date with who should receive the forwarded email. Obviously, it would be best to have someone who responds to their email fairly frequently. Please let me know if your tower has someone who will take on this task. Steps have been taken to avoid spam being sent to these addresses - please do not publish Association email addresses on the Internet (personal web sites, news groups, etc) as this will mean we will be targeted by spammers.

All officers also have their own address, i.e. the General Secretary can be contacted at [Officer]@derbyda.org.uk. This improves communication as officers change, the address is the same and once updated it's forwarded to the new person. Again this facility relies on excellent communication from the relevant Districts etc. to keep me informed of any changes. 

There is a new map detailing all the rings in each District, with colour coded detail and links. Also, the grid reference to each tower is listed along with a link to multimap.com for a more detailed map.

Links to two web sites have been added. Each tower has a colour coded button which takes you to either the Felstead database, which lists all recorded peals at that particular tower or to William Hall�s site which lists the peals rung there since 1986 with Association, method, conductor and Ringing World page.

If your church has a web site, please tell me, so I can provide a link. I have already added a link to Chesterfield, Derby St. Peter and the Cathedral, have a look by clicking on the tower name and see where it takes you.

Thank you to all those people who provide information to be published, the Derby District newsletter, Strike Notes, gets regular updates, but do any other Districts have a newsletter I can publish? 

If you have email, are you aware that there is a list for bellringing news and events in Derbyshire? Non-members of the DDA are also welcome to join. The easiest way to subscribe is to send a blank email to ddacb‑subscribe@yahoogroups.com or visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ddacb/.

Please have a good look at the site, remember even if you do not have Internet access most libraries have access facilities. Let me know what you think - updates, links and ideas will be gratefully received. Thank you.

Anthony Cotton

http://www.derbyda.org.uk