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Join us in a UK hyperlocal alliance…

15th May 2009 by William Perrin

There is some wonderful hyperlocal stuff going on in the UK.  People are up to all sorts of things on the web  from working out what bands are on, when the quiz night is down the pub, rounding up local news, to fighting campaigns on planning decisions, to city-wide discussions or telling people about the jumble sale at the school, or even tackling local corruption and bad governance.  The net result is empowered, effective people and local communities that define their place online, know what is going on and have a powerful voice.

Lots of people are coming on board to help out – from folk getting on with it themselves to new start ups, bits of government to big newspaper groups.  There are all sorts of approaches from people out to make a million, to people purely committed to public service, to people doing clever tech things, to people trying to find the future for their media company.

The three of us are involved in very different hyperlocal projects.  We are committed to a wonderful diverse hyperlocal future for the UK.  We want to make sure the energy created as people jostle for position is positive and collaborative, coming together to meet all our aims and more importantly support the a digital future for all.

So where are we going with this? Well we want to know if hyperlocal people in the UK are up for some sort of ‘UK Hyperlocal Alliance’ (working title) dedicated to a positive future for hyperlocal content in the UK.  This isn’t an attempt to form a trade body or a union or a lobby group, just a simple web resource where we can sign up to a simple statement of intent, get in touch with each other and tell our stories.

Let us know by commenting on this post – if we get say 20 people who will go with it, then we shall listen and take things forward.  We shall try to keep things free and simple.

Look forward to hearing from you.

William Perrin – Talk About Local

Dominic Campbell – FutureGov

Kalvir Sandhu – Hophive

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William Perrin
Founder of Talk About Local, Trustee of the Indigo Trust, Tinder Foundation, 360Giving, co-founder Connect8, former member of UK Government transparency panels, former Policy Advisor to UK Prime Minister, former Cabinet Office senior civil servant.Open data do-er, Kings Cross London blogger. Loves countryside. Two small children.
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Latest posts by William Perrin (see all)
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Filed Under: Blog, hyperlocal Tagged With: Dominic Campbell, hyperlocal alliance, Kalvir Sandhu

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dave Briggs says

    15th May 2009 at 4:13 pm

    Always happy to help!

  2. Nick Booth says

    15th May 2009 at 4:20 pm

    You know I’ll be in.

  3. Tom Steinberg says

    15th May 2009 at 4:30 pm

    PledgeBank!

  4. James Hatts says

    15th May 2009 at 4:31 pm

    Count me in.

  5. darenbbc says

    15th May 2009 at 4:38 pm

    Oh yes, I’m in!

  6. Paul Youlten says

    15th May 2009 at 4:57 pm

    I’d like to help – maybe get some of the Open Street Map ppl involved too.

  7. David Wilcox says

    15th May 2009 at 5:17 pm

    Definitely … now is the right time. Reawakens memories of UK Communities Online network in the late 90s. I’ll see if some of the old crew are around to lend support and maybe lessons learned.
    “This isn’t an attempt to form a trade body or a union or a lobby group, just a simple web resource where we can sign up to a simple statement of intent, get in touch with each other and tell our stories.”
    “We shall try to keep things free and simple. ”
    Agree with keep it simple…. but there will be pressure to organise, incorporate, take funding, share out jobs. Tuttle is organising consultancy … Colalife is planning to incoporate.
    Ooops, you just wanted yes. YES!

  8. Phil Sorrell says

    15th May 2009 at 5:29 pm

    Count me in too!

  9. Anthony Zacharzewski says

    15th May 2009 at 5:50 pm

    Happy to help if I can.

  10. Nathalie McDermott says

    15th May 2009 at 5:52 pm

    Big fat yes 🙂

  11. RickWaghorn says

    15th May 2009 at 6:20 pm

    Hyper-Local Alliance – or the Very Independent Publishers Club – it’s all the same to me…

    I’m game.

  12. Sean Brady says

    15th May 2009 at 6:32 pm

    The simple and short answer is – yes, I’d love to be involved in this growing and exciting phase in the use of the internet.

  13. edmittance says

    15th May 2009 at 7:19 pm

    speaking on behalf of the Transition web project, yes. We are putting quite some time and energy into a sharing engine for pure p2p distribution and re-distribution of stuff in a solidly de-centralised manner. Would be happy to help, and keen to hear more about what you’re up to.

  14. Helen Milner says

    15th May 2009 at 7:35 pm

    Yes we can! (Sorry.) I am behind this and am happy to do whatever I can to support an alliance. I don’t really like the word “hyperlocal” though – can’t we just reclaim the word “local” back from local authorities?

  15. scipmark says

    15th May 2009 at 7:45 pm

    yes definitely

  16. Andy Mabbett says

    15th May 2009 at 7:46 pm

    I’ve been involved in setting up and using (hyper) local Usenet groups and mailing lists for about 14 years. I’m in.

  17. scipmark says

    15th May 2009 at 7:47 pm

    oh and I’m working with the people at People’s Voice Media/Community Reporters – will def see what they say http://peoplesvoicemedia.co.uk/community-reporters-program

  18. James Rudd says

    15th May 2009 at 7:47 pm

    Well I am a Hyperlocal evangelist too. I run TowcesterNews for two years, sell the advertising, get the content, take the pictures and above all engage. It is great, the site is now getting between 5500 and 6500 visitors a week.

    I effectively run it as a daily local newspaper and I am a big fan of Twitter. http://www.twitter.com/towcesternews – count me in

  19. Lores says

    15th May 2009 at 8:02 pm

    Yes would love to be involved 🙂

  20. Martin says

    15th May 2009 at 8:08 pm

    Yes, please count me in, very important in both my work and personal activities

  21. Hugh Flouch says

    16th May 2009 at 5:52 am

    Count me in at Harringay Online

  22. Lilian Barton says

    16th May 2009 at 7:39 am

    Absolutely agree and is something I’ve been advocating. You can count me in.

  23. Stuart Parker says

    16th May 2009 at 9:09 am

    Interested here

  24. paulclarke says

    16th May 2009 at 9:26 am

    Absolutely yes.

  25. Matt Waring says

    16th May 2009 at 12:29 pm

    Always happy to help out – make a real go of this!

  26. Elaine kramer says

    16th May 2009 at 5:10 pm

    definitely interested in being involved

  27. Matthew Kalman says

    17th May 2009 at 10:23 am

    Count me in too – and I must tell Eileen Conn in Peckham about this (she just got an MBE, or was it an OBE, for her grassroots hyper-local efforts!).

    I’d already been talking with her about exactly this kind of project…

    Cheers,

    Matthew

  28. Nicky Getgood says

    17th May 2009 at 4:25 pm

    Apologies for the late comment with this. Count me in. With bells on. 🙂

  29. Dave Harte says

    17th May 2009 at 6:10 pm

    Really interested in this. I’d like to think that should there be a need for lobbying or joint action amongst local bloggers then this group could be a route to making this happen. May the ‘Power of Birmingham’ be with you!
    Dave

  30. John Popham says

    17th May 2009 at 7:20 pm

    Yes, definitely want to be involved!

  31. Pete Ashton says

    17th May 2009 at 7:48 pm

    (Catching up) I’m in. Best to go into these things mob-handed I feel. 😉

  32. Paul Johnston says

    17th May 2009 at 8:35 pm

    Just starting, but we’ll get there. So interested in this. Paul

  33. Danny Bull says

    17th May 2009 at 8:41 pm

    Great idea and I’d love to be involved.

  34. Steph Gray says

    17th May 2009 at 9:34 pm

    Interested to know more…

  35. Richard McKeever says

    18th May 2009 at 9:13 am

    Very keen to get involved – our Work at Community Links around digital engagement is at a fairly early stage – but we are an organisation with many community projects which could connect. My own background in running a community press connected to a national network of publishers (The Federation of Worker Writers and Community Publishers) could also contribute to establishing a national alliance. Thanks for the Invitation!

  36. paul canning says

    18th May 2009 at 12:58 pm

    This was kindof what I was driving at in this post http://digitalengagement.org/2009/04/21/local-hubs-for-local-people/

    Not that well apparently as some points seemed misunderstood.

    So, yes, count me in.

  37. Hannah Waldram says

    19th May 2009 at 11:12 am

    Definitely. Yes. Just setting up my first hyperlocal site now.

  38. Jon Bounds says

    19th May 2009 at 2:29 pm

    Yes, sounds good.

  39. Clare says

    19th May 2009 at 2:32 pm

    Me too!

  40. James Munro says

    20th May 2009 at 3:30 pm

    We’re in (speaking for Patient Opinion)!

    We got some mashable content now – RSS/Atom feeds for your local health services – and plan to add something a bit more geographic to the site for your hyperlocal use.

  41. John Cronin says

    20th May 2009 at 4:44 pm

    Yes, I’d like to hear more!

  42. Rob says

    20th May 2009 at 4:57 pm

    Sound’s interesting, put me down as a definite “yes” !

  43. rayduff says

    20th May 2009 at 10:43 pm

    As someone who is really working in physical (if not virtual) isolation, then this is a wonderful idea! I’ve already picked up some useful ideas!

  44. Neil Franklin says

    21st May 2009 at 9:33 am

    Hyperlocal is a reality in London and you should speak to this group: http://www.londonvoices.com

    I’m a very active member of a local message board. Happy to spread the word…

  45. Gavin Sheppard says

    22nd May 2009 at 9:37 am

    Media Trust and the national Digital Mentors programme is very happy to be involved.

  46. Phil Green says

    22nd May 2009 at 2:47 pm

    Yes, count me in. Don’t see why it shouldn’t be possible to keep it free and simple.

  47. David Barrie says

    23rd May 2009 at 6:30 am

    would be great for those doing start-ups to have some kind of power-to-your-elbow information resource Mothership kind of thing. !

  48. alex stobart says

    23rd May 2009 at 1:58 pm

    I am in from Edinburgh please

  49. Rachel Jackson says

    26th May 2009 at 3:03 pm

    I’d like to be involved with this – have just set up my own local area blog and would be happy to help out.

  50. Gary says

    27th May 2009 at 2:23 pm

    People’s Voice Media is in gary

  51. Nick Turner says

    27th May 2009 at 3:26 pm

    Count me in. We are developing 20 hyperlocal sites around Cumbria and working on model which shares ad revenue with local correspondents

  52. Ed Walker says

    27th May 2009 at 10:05 pm

    Definitely up for it. Would be good to be able to get advice and support from other people running hyper local blogs across the UK – learn from each other.

  53. Enjoy Manchester says

    28th May 2009 at 12:05 pm

    We are keen to support and get involved.

  54. Craig says

    28th May 2009 at 12:09 pm

    Count me in

  55. Martin Dudley says

    29th May 2009 at 6:10 am

    I’m virtually with you already!

  56. Eileen Conn says

    29th May 2009 at 7:35 am

    yes count me in. I want us to have support systems for local resilent well connected networks of people keen to improve their local neighbourhoods. So anything which helps the activists fits well.

  57. Eileen Conn says

    29th May 2009 at 7:37 am

    yes count me in. I want us to have support systems for local resilent well connected networks of people keen to improve their local neighbourhoods and strengthen their communities. So anything which helps the activists fits well.

  58. Daniel Heery says

    29th May 2009 at 2:23 pm

    Hi William

    Good to see your new endeavour is off to a flying start. We are really interested in seeing how you get on – please get in touch if you are up for doing anything linking in with local councils.

    Daniel

  59. Ray says

    29th May 2009 at 7:53 pm

    This sounds great and I’m happy to help if I can. Please tell me more about your plans.

  60. Tom says

    30th May 2009 at 3:10 pm

    This is a really exciting initiative. I do hope it succeeds. If I can help in any way, please, just let me know.

  61. cyberdoyle says

    1st June 2009 at 5:12 pm

    would love to be involved, but our blog has been running for 6 years, how do we keep all that info if we migrate?

  62. Julian Dobson says

    1st June 2009 at 9:56 pm

    Keep me posted – I’m looking to help a north Sheffield regeneration organisation set something up to complement the community magazine they publish.

  63. Lucy Hooberman says

    2nd June 2009 at 7:54 am

    happy to help if there is anything I can do. You’ve got way more than 20 now…what next?

  64. pindec says

    7th June 2009 at 11:05 am

    i’m in 🙂

  65. Paul Webster says

    7th June 2009 at 8:10 pm

    .. and another one from me!

    People on the ground are the ones that make the news and have have campaigns to tell others about.
    Like the way this is linking the networks of hyper-local sites so all can share from each other.
    Happy to help with national sharing if I can

  66. Matt Collins says

    9th June 2009 at 10:25 am

    Happy to help if I can.

  67. Rob Adams says

    16th June 2009 at 11:59 am

    count me in – happy to help

  68. Sharon O'Dea says

    21st June 2009 at 4:18 pm

    Count me in!

  69. Mandeep Hothi says

    26th June 2009 at 2:20 pm

    The Young Foundation’s in too. Let us know if we can help at all

  70. Annie Alllison says

    1st July 2009 at 8:26 am

    Yes please. Definately interested in getting involved.

  71. captain22 says

    3rd July 2009 at 1:08 pm

    Keep all us citizens at the People’s Republic of South Devon in the loop too, please.

    All the best

  72. Ellie Stoneley says

    3rd July 2009 at 3:50 pm

    woooo hooo – great to see the ball rolling faster and faster and yes the need for these sites is huge – but there is also a huge need to join them up and to keep the momentum on content and marketing of local sites and encourage the sense of local ownership

    exciting to be part of it all – and have been now for 9 years …

    local is just lovely!!
    and to reiterate Tom – pledgebank!!

  73. Matt says

    23rd July 2009 at 11:15 pm

    Sign me up. It’s going to be good to share ideas with everyone.

  74. Brian Simpson says

    24th July 2009 at 4:46 pm

    Would love to be involved and learn from the hyperlocal community!

  75. Duncan Ogle-Skan says

    27th July 2009 at 8:32 am

    As a member of the ‘other side’ of local (as I work for a marketing agency that is focussed on providing new and genuine ways of engaging with local communities) I’d be really interested in joining up. Great to see new networks of great local content and real passion behind the subject.

  76. Gavin Hewins says

    12th September 2009 at 9:03 pm

    I am very interested in this.

    I have owned or be been involved in several ‘local’ sites for my town for the last 4 years. I am particularly interested in Data Models, APIs and Web Services etc. In other words I like ‘connecting’ different, but related, sites. I believe in the long term it may be very useful if different local communities could share data to form a wider network. e.g on my Visit Horsham website people can search for businesses who stock certain brands. Wouldn’t it be great if my search page could also search neighbouring ‘local’ websites because they provided a web service with a compatible data model? IMO the ideal would be to have a national network of truly independent, but connected, ‘local’ sites.

    I am also involved with Facebook programming. The recent exponential growth of Facebook in the wider population has provided us with a fantastic opportunity to engage with local people both within Facebook AND external sites. I believe the Facebook profile (or to a lesser extent the Open Social equivalent) could provide the ideal method of connecting people between otherwise non compatible [social] networks.

    I would really like to discuss these ideas further with like minded individuals.

    Gavin

  77. johnbaron says

    15th September 2009 at 9:13 am

    I’d be very interested in registering the South Leeds Information Project as an active member of the Alliance. We’re looking for funding to set up such an enterprise. Count me in!

  78. GARY COYLE says

    5th October 2009 at 8:09 am

    We are currently developing a Community Infopoint to be located in PO and local shop windows which will display local classified ads, local information and events and community messaging platform for local councils.

    We would be very interested in sharing our thoughts and findings on hyperlocal, community empowerment etc

    Rgds

    Gary Coyle

  79. Jaqui Devereux says

    5th October 2009 at 9:52 am

    The Community Media Association would support such an initiative, provided it includes the community broadcasting sector using the airwaves as well as online presence – community radio is by definition “hyper local”, though like Helen I am not keen on that title – what is wrong with the words that define communittes/estates etc – local, community etc…

  80. Jack Wallington says

    6th October 2009 at 10:10 pm

    Full support from me and LoveClapham. My only request would be for any visitor/consumer facing site to use just local instead of ‘hyperlocal’ to make it clearer.

  81. Martin says

    14th October 2009 at 10:11 am

    Sounds like a great idea. Would be great to share ideas and experiences.

  82. Claire Wood says

    29th October 2009 at 12:01 pm

    I’d be interested to see how this develops and to share thoughts about the UK’s hyperlocal future. How do you plan to take things forward?

  83. Peter C says

    19th November 2009 at 10:36 pm

    Just starting up in Toronto. Any interest in doing a cross the pond link and collaborating? Just returned from London and hats off to you…great city!

    Peter

  84. Steven Bate says

    20th November 2009 at 7:54 pm

    Would welcome comments on this trial hyperlocal service http://www.bispham.info in part of Blackpool. Part slide show, part magazine, part blog, I will add radio interview material in place of the music soon.

  85. Eamonn Collins says

    21st November 2009 at 4:37 pm

    I would be interested in working with anyone involved in local internet TV. I own the software which runs thames-gateway.tv, inspired-stories.tv, loughtontv.com and others. I’m looking for ways to make it freely available to more local communities.

Trackbacks

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