You’re Welcome website to get a new lease of life
The You’re Welcome website will have a fresh new look and lots of extra features when it relaunches in January 2020 and the newly revived website is going to be run by Active Impact. It will be a lively online community space to find welcoming and inclusive things to do in Gloucestershire.
Barnwood are handing the You’re Welcome website over to Active Impact
Barnwood Trust developed and launched the You’re Welcome website (www.yourewelcome.to) in 2015 as an online platform for people in Gloucestershire to connect and share positive stories of people coming together. We are thrilled to announce that exciting changes are coming to the website from January 2020.
Active Impact will shortly be taking it over – they are a local organisation, passionate about creating opportunities for disabled people. We are currently working together with Active Impact to revive the website as a vibrant and engaging online space for disabled people of all ages – a friendly place to catch up about what’s going on locally that’s welcoming to everybody.
Speaking for Barnwood Trust, Head of Communications, Campaigns and Events, Jess Waterman said:
“Active Impact have given fantastic energy to the You’re Welcome website redevelopment and we are confident that they will take excellent care of the website moving forwards. Trustees are pleased to invest funds and to support this project to improve the old website and create an even better online resource for disabled people and people with mental health challenges in Gloucestershire.”
(Above) A mockup of the new theme for the You’re Welcome website
What’s going to be new on the You’re Welcome website?
Look out for bright new colours coming to the You’re Welcome website and a fresh new layout to make it as inviting and user-friendly as possible. There will be four main areas – an ‘event directory’ of new and upcoming events to take part in; a ‘things to do’ section with regular listings from local activity providers, plus from leisure, arts and cultural venues; a guide on how to ‘get support’ including local grants and assistance information; and a ‘forum’ for disabled and non-disabled people to chat together, reading and sharing good news about life in the county.
Hundreds of local groups and organisations will be adding their accessible activities and places to visit to the website, building up a picture of all the good things going on in Gloucestershire, across a range of interests: from arts and crafts to museums; from sports clubs to nature reserves.
There will also be information on how to apply for grants available from places like Barnwood Trust, and other local funders, to help gain access to the events and activities listed. For example, if you need someone to assist or you feel some equipment would help, there may be a fund you can apply to for that.
Membership to the website will be free of charge, enabling you to create a personal profile and write your own recommendations of places, events and activities for other people to read and comment on.
(Above) A mockup of the new events page for the You’re Welcome website
The newly updated You’re Welcome website will also link to other local platforms, Glos Families Directory and Your Circle, so it is part of the wider information network for disabled people and their families to find out about what’s available in Gloucestershire to make life more active and enjoyable.
Speaking for Active Impact, the new owners of You’re Welcome, Nicole Hastie said:
“The You’re Welcome website will provide up-to-the-moment information on activities that are happening in the next few days, weeks or months. We want there to be a real buzz about the range of things that are on offer in Gloucestershire where disabled people of all ages feel welcome and excited to take part.”
“We want to co-develop the project with disabled people and there will be a chance to take part in a steering group for the website. We will also soon be advertising for two part-time development officer roles and we actively encourage applications from disabled people in the county.”
Find out more
To find out more about the future of the You’re Welcome website, including how to add your events from January 2020 or how to join the new steering group, contact the Director of Development and Training at Active Impact, Nicole Hastie on nicole@activeimpact.org.uk or call 01453 298337