Online lifeline for local charity
Six charities in the region are being given the opportunity to boost their online profile and fundraising potential thanks to Webdurance.
Webdurance is the first North East fundraising webathon and takes place this July 15th and 16th in Newcastle.
The free event, Webdurance, will see the regions best tech’ experts compete to create new websites for local charities in just 24 hours.
Our chosen charities span the region and represent a wide range of worthy causes within North East communities including child safety, disability support services, mental health issues to support and training opportunities for those living in disadvantaged communities.
The struggling charities benefitting from the best talent in the region being readily volunteered at Webdurance have been announced.
They are: Azure Charitable Enterprises, Tynemouth Blind Welfare Society, Key Enterprises, The Children’s Foundation Whoops Child Safety Project, Children North East and Meadow Well Connected.
Esther Laverick, Event Manager for Webdurance, said:
“Webdurance hopes to provide a real boost to those involved in terms of exposure and future prosperity whilst promoting the business potential and technical talent the North East really has.”
A good website can make all the difference to an organisations brand and marketing potential. However many charities cannot afford to develop these themselves and join the digital arena which leaves charities, such as those attending Webdurance, struggling to maintain their productivity and vital community services.
Meadow Well Connected from North Shields is one of the six charities from across the North East selected to attend the event on July 16.
Set up in 1993 Meadow Well Connected provides various services to some of North Shields’ most disadvantage groups.
A lack of funding currently threatens the project, but the charity hopes that having the best designers in the North East overhaul their website, for free, will provide the answer to their current problems.
Carole Bell, Centre Manager from charity Meadow Well Connected said:
“Webdurance will give us the chance to market ourselves and gain a presence on the web that we wouldn’t be able to do by ourselves. The centre has been going through a number of changes recently and this has been a great opportunity to give us a fresh new website and online presence to attract new users to the centre and help promote the Meadow Well Connected Charity.”
Paul King, Webdurance initiator and co-director of 1daylater.com said:
“We already have the backing of some great sponsors as North East organisations Bond Solutions, Codeworks Connect and Sunderland Software City an initiative established to inspire and encourage the growth of the software industry in the region. With such great supports we are confident that we can give each charity a fantastic new opportunity.”
David Dunn C.O.O of Sunderland Software City said:
“Software development talent in the region is large and Webdurance is a great event to show off these skills.”
Carole Hewison from Whoops Child Safety said:
“The third sector has struggled through this recession and it is my greatest hope that Webdurance can turn our website from being an information site to a marketing site to enable us to survive over the next few tough months and years.”
Little Erin Easton learning vital fireworks safety at the ‘Whoops Child Safety’ head office for The Children’s Foundation in Gateshead.
One of Webdurance’s supporters are VONNE, Voluntary Organisation’s Network North East, who represent over 600 charities, voluntary organisations, community groups, networks and social enterprises from across the region and ensure that the voluntary and community sector plays a full part in the life of the North East.
Andrew Samuel is the Regional ICT Champion at VONNE and has said:
“Webdurance is a not only a fantastic idea in itself but it encapsulates the North East community spirit by showing just how many of our regions talented designers and digital technicians are prepared to give their time freely to help these charities.”
Webdurance takes place on the 15th and 16th of July at Newcastle University Inex building.
Newcastle upon Tyne (near Haymarket Metro station) NE1 7RU 0191 222 3500
The venue is open to the press and registered attendees 12.00pm-3.00pm Friday 16th July with refreshments buffet, fundraising prize raffle and guest presented awards ceremony.
Please register your attendance with esther@webdurance.org for further information and event schedule.http://webdurance.org www.twitter.com/webdurance
For further information contact:
Esther Laverick, Webdurance Event Manager:
0191 516 6085
estherlaverick@sunderlandsoftwarecity.com
esther@webdurance.org
Webdurance is a charitable event that will see a large group of North-East web-developers, designers and writers team up for a 24 hour webathon with the goal to give local charities with a poor web-presence a new lease of life. This July’s event will be the first Webdurance and the first event of this type in the North East.
www.twitter.com/webdurance www.webdurance.ning.com
Webdurance was founded by Paul and David King of web-based software company 1DayLater.com. 1DayLater recently ranked among PCmag’s ‘best free software of 2010.’
www.1DayLater.com
The event has received sponsorship and support from regional bodies Sunderland Software City, Codeworks and Bond Solutions. An up to date list of Webdurance sponsors can be found on the Webdurance website.
Other sponsors include VONNE the regional infrastructure body for the voluntary and community sector (VCS) in the North East of England. They represent over 600 charities, voluntary organisations, community groups, networks and social enterprises from across the region.
www.vonne.org.uk
Visit the official Website – http://webdurance.ning.com/ or click below
