IT students build church website
15th April 2013 9:55am - Return to press releases
IT students at East Riding College have built a website for a Bridlington church as part of an ongoing link with the organisation.
Daniel Hobson (pictured, left), 18, from Filey, and Elliot Sowersby, 19, from Bridlington, worked with St John’s Burlington Methodist Church to create the site, including a system which allows church members to manage the site themselves.
The pair, who are both studying on the Level Three Extended Diploma in Information Technology, have developed a site which features details of news and events, groups, the history of the church and details of forthcoming church services.
Elliot said: “I thought that this project would provide me with some great experience working with real clients and would help improve some skills required later in my life.
“The clients themselves are also a large factor in why I decided to go ahead with this project as they are all fantastic, caring people providing the community with great services, so I believe they deserve something back for all their hard work.
“I was very excited to have the opportunity to work on a live brief with a real client as this allowed me to test the skills I have learned through my studies and receive constant feedback and changes from the client.”
The College has been working with the church over the past three years, initially with students providing classes to help older people learn how to use computers. Since then, students and tutors have put in their own time to help maintain computers and establish a web connection so the church learners could start to use the internet. Students have also raised money to support the group.
Tony Brockbank (pictured, centre), computer class and website organiser at the church, said: “Most churches have a website now and I am told how it has benefitted them in many ways, being able to display details of activities, future events and publicise numerous church and non-church works and skills in addition to church news and services
“Daniel and Elliot have done a wonderful job of finding out our aspirations for the website, listening to what we wanted on each page and providing the finished product.”
He added: “They have been a credit to themselves and to the College, being prepared to stay as long as it takes and also taking time out to teach the church member who is going to maintain and update the website and to be available if needed.
“Our thanks go to their tutor Tracey Murray, for finding such skilled students, and to another IT tutor, Gerry Horner, for all his help in maintaining our computers and setting up our internet connection.”
Tutor Tracey Murray said: “Elliot and Daniel have done an excellent job of creating this website, going through the full creative process of finding out about the church’s needs and translating that into a high quality and fully functioning website.
"It’s of real benefit to students to be able to put all their theory into practice with a live brief like this and I’m really pleased we have been able to do something positive for a local community organisation.”
The church website can be found by searching “Bridlington Methodist Church”. Anyone who would like to take part in the computer classes should call Mr Brockbank on 01262 674930. They are open to members and non-members of the church. All are welcome for £3 for a two-hour session on Mondays, from 10am to noon.
For more information about East Riding College, got to www.eastridingcollege.ac.uk or call 0845 120 0037.
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Notes to editors
To request photographs or for more information about this press release, call Matthew Croshaw, marketing and communications manager, on 01482 306612 or email [email protected]
