Next Steps:  our plans for the future

 

 

 

 

In this version we’ve provided a few of the things Members asked for,  and we’ll expand the content over the next few weeks.  But a lot of the content we’ve been asked for will mean we need a private, ‘members only’ section of the site.  We couldn’t do this on the previous host,  but we can now so that feature will be added as soon as we have developed it.  We can also use some (very limited) interactive features.

 

 

So in the near future,  we plan to add:

 

 

 

A Members Only area,  including:

-         The minutes of each Committee and General meeting

-         A bulletin-board system (like ‘the Common Room’,  but possibly with automatic posting)

-         A facility for Members to invite others (members or not) to get in touch.  Members’ messages will be collected in the private area but displayed on the public site and we’ll forward replies to the member’s email address

-         Members will be able publicise their own events,  such as informal get-togethers,  either within the private area or on the public notice board

 

 

 

When we launch the Members Only area,  we’ll email all members for whom we have email addresses with details of how to access it (which will depend on the facility offered by the new host)

 

 

 

 

Document Downloads

such as past editions of Salix (which more recent members wouldn’t have seen yet) or school-related material that won’t work easily on the site itself.  These will usually be presented in .pdf format.

 

 

An Archive

for Members only.  This    if we can achieve it – will allow you to browse through an indexed collection of memorabilia and maybe old website pages.

 

 

Respondents to the Survey last year asked for two more things which we aren’t currently planning to do.   A number of people asked for an online version of Salix,  but we don’t think there’s sufficient material coming in from Members to support that.  The printed Salix goes to every member,  not just those with Web access,  so it takes priority.  The vast majority of Members told us they kept every issue they received.  But if,  as we hope,  the site generates many more contributions for both the site and  Salix we could review this idea again.  Up to you,  really.

 

 

 

 

Some respondents also asked for a page where Members could advertise their own professional or amateur services for other Members.  The committee saw a number of possible problems with this and we thought it might take too much time to organise so we’re not going ahead with it for now.   But if demand for such a service builds we might be persuaded to think again.  

 

 

And finally,  we were asked to organise on-line chat sessions – an occasional e-reunion.   That’s harder to organise and at the moment we don’t know how.  We  might be able to do it within an existing chat-room service if our new host offers this.   Such a service might be specially valuable for Members who don’t live in the Nottingham area and especially those who live abroad.  No plans at present,  but if there’s a demand we’ll see what we can do.