Leeds Green Events Calendar - ready to share (help please - very quick to do).

[Tom Bliss]

Hello everyone

Apologies for sending a round robin but I wanted to reach as many groups as possible today.

One issue that's cropped up over and over in discussions with active local green groups in the last few years (it came up strongly again at the last Environment Forum) is a need for one single event calendar that everyone can add their dates to - and which everyone interested in green events will see.

Some groups do already have web calendars, but the first problem with individual calendars is that they're usually maintained by just one or two people, within one single group or organisation, who may  not be aware of other relevant events around Leeds.

 

The second problem is that the calendar usually only appears on one website - so it tends only to preach to the converted - i.e. that group's existing web visitors.

 

There is a way of having one single calendar which ALL interested groups can add to (so it should contain all relevant dates), which can also be embedded in ALL relevant websites (so that all visitors see all Leeds Green Events).

 

Not only is this great for publicity and general communication, but it also helps organisers to avoid date clashes.

That's why I've set up an open access Google calendar, which is really easy to add dates to (once you've got a google account). You just go to the page, double-click the date, add a title and paste in whatever blurb you've already written for your mailing list or web page, and hit save.

You can see my embedded version at www.urbal.tv, but really you should not have to go to my website to see it. In an ideal world it would also appear on your (and everyone else's) websites, so that it gets maximum visibility and everyone benefits from everyone else's visitors.

 

Embedding is easy to do using the embed code which Google kindly supplies (you just paste it into an iFrame, which most websites can handle). If this is too tekkie or your website can't cope, just add a link to the embedded version on whichever friendly group site you prefer, which is almost as good.

All that has to happen is for you to ask me to add you to the list of admin names on the calendar. Then you can add and edit your own events, and, if you want, generate the code to display the calendar on your own website.

 

The more groups use it the more accurate and useful it will become - and the more people will see it, and with luck support Leeds Green Events.

 

Just let me know if you want in, and I'll add you.

I will go on adding events for people who don't want to add their own - (and when we have more editors we'll have more hands to help with non-member events) - but it's really best if people do their own. Then you can be sure it's done - and done right!

But this only works if LOTS of people (ideally everyone) uses the shared calendar - so please give it some serious thought.

And please forward to anyone else you think could benefit.

Many thanks

Tom

 

PS You can also have a dedicated Leeds Green Groups forum - which you yourself can moderate - which you can also embed in your own website. Forums (fora?) can get very fractious and become hard to manage (I know because I ran a few in my folk music days - and folkies can get horrible cross about stuff), but it can be worth it to provide a place where people can share information and discuss issues.

PPS If I've missed you off the Leeds Green Groups page please shout and I'll make amends.