What is Blackpool Blogging About?

Blogging Blackpool is attempting to find out about Blackpool Blogs and what subjects are being discussed in the local Blogosphere. This site will follow the early debate – a RSS Feed has been added at the very bottom of the left hand column in order to do this.

Recieve updates from BCN by e-mail

UPDATE: You can now keep up-to-date with the latest community news by subscribing and recieving the latest BCN News direct to your e-mail. Just Subscribe to BCN by clicking the link at the top of the right hand column. This is a trial service from Feedburner – please post a comment with your feedback.

You can also subscribe by clicking on the Entries (RSS) link at the bottom of the right hand column and choose your favourite method.

For more information on RSS then follow this link to an explanation from BBC Sport and also an instructional video is available on YouTube RSS in Plain English – (ahem! in plain ‘US’ that is!).

New internet tools – making them work for you!

VCFS – Online collaboration, networking and reaching new audiences.

The media in the 20^th Century used to be the preserve of professional editors, journalists and writers, but in the last few years we have seen an explosion in citizen generated content.

Active citizens are now making the news; they have become the correspondents and photographers. These citizens are talking to each other, sharing their knowledge and experience and they are doing it online. Just having a website and hoping people visit is not enough!

Third sector organisations, voluntary, community and faith groups have lots to gain from engaging with new media and reaching new (particularly younger) audiences with their message. Online collaboration can help you create and share documents with your staff, members or clients involvement. Tools are available to make sure that the information you need regularly is delivered to your laptop or PC.

Would you or your Blackpool focussed group like to gain a greater understanding of the new online media services available and how you might use them effectively in your organisation?

If you would be interested in finding out more about:

• Setting up your own interactive website or Blog like this one?
• The bigger picture – what is happening with the internet and traditional media and why?
• An introduction to the main tools available and their different uses; Blogs, Twitter, Wikis, Flickr and social networking?
• Blogging and RSS?
• Strategic use of new media?

Then leave a comment on this post (will not publish it unless you expressly want us to).

Regional Strategy for homes and jobs in the North West

A new Regional Spatial Strategy that talks of “tourism and housing-led regeneration in Blackpool” was launched today by the Department of Communities and Local Government.

The Plan aims to raise the economic performance in the North West by supporting the provision of new job opportunities and reducing local inequalities whilst protecting the environment.

The Plan sets out to deliver 413,000 new homes (23,111 a year) by 2021 to meet housing needs.

It can be downloaded from the GONW (Government Office North West) Website.