District 1120 launched a new web site earlier this year and in doing so has achieved an important goal.

Not all clubs have the ability or the desire to represent themselves on the Internet and as a result are missing out on publicity, potential new members and a useful channel of communication.

One of the District's goals this year was to create a 'web presence' for all 82 clubs in the District. Just over half of the clubs in our District had a web site of their own, almost all providing email or on-line form methods of contact for visitors.

Using the details published each year in the District Directory the new District Web site has created a default web page for every club in the district with details of when and where they meet, the President & Secretary, interactive travel directions & map for visitors and secure email to club officers.

Visitors wishing to find a club website will be directed to the club's own website if they have one or will be directed to the site provided by the District. Each club has been provided password controlled access to their details held on the District web site and can change them at will, including setting up the club officers for the coming year in advance. In addition to this clubs can use a simple content management system to add pages and edit them without the need for any technical knowledge.

So far the reaction from clubs and visitors has been very encouraging. A number of potential new members have used the new facility to contact their local club: The new club pages are the most visited, after the home page, and several clubs have started created their own pages in their content management system.

Not all clubs have the means to create and maintain their own websites and Rotary Districts can use their economies of scale by using expertise in their District to help these clubs reap the benefits of the Internet. Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland (RIBI) also provide a content management system for clubs and is a useful tool in the arsenal to help clubs onto the Internet. It does have a drawback however, it cannot provide a default personalised site for every club as a starting point, but a Rotary District can!

The Rotary District 1120 club web site system can be found at: Click to Open Web Page