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My Brighton and Hove wins two international web awards

Winner of the Museums and the Web awards, 2008

Visit the awards website

Press release: 12 April 2008

By Jack Latimer

The My Brighton and Hove website has won two awards in an international competition for world museum websites, alongside national institutions such as the Tate and the Science Museum. The awards recognise 'the best work in museum web design and development'.

The local volunteer-run website at www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk has been running for 8 years, after its launch as part of Brighton's Millennium celebration in 2000. Run entirely by volunteers and designed by website company www.communitysites.co.uk, the site was a contender in an international field and won two awards - the Best Community site and the Best Small Museum site.

My Brighton and Hove collects photos, memories, knowledge and views of the city, past and present. It has grown to nearly 9,000 pages, receives 1000 visitors a day, and receives dozens of new online contributions from the public each week.

Judges picked out as an example of the living history on the site the story of the Great Omani, Brighton's escapologist, whose story was recorded on the site before and after his death, together with tributes from family and friends. Volunteer editor Jennifer Drury, who was runner-up in the Silver Surfer of the Year competition in 2006, says: " I feel thrilled by what we have achieved. It is very satisfying to have made such an important contribution to the city I love."

My Brighton and Hove was founded by Jack Latimer, a multimedia designer. Together with web developer Ian Grant, he now sets up heritage websites round the country through their company www.communitysites.co.uk. Jack says: 'It's a fantastic honour to win these awards alongside the most famous museums in the world. It shows how the energy and enthusiasm of a group of volunteers, combined with the local knowledge and memories of a community, can create a world-class heritage resource. At CommunitySites, we're really proud of creating the software that makes this all possible.'

The site was originally inspired by a local history exhibit in Brighton Museum called 'My Brighton'. The Head of Brighton Museums and Royal Pavilion, Janita Bagshawe, who nominated My Brighton and Hove for the award, is delighted with the result: 'Brighton Museum is proud to have spawned this self-sustaining heritage project for the city.'

For interviews and info, contact Jack Latimer at jack@mybrightonandhove.org.uk

This page was added on 12/04/2008.

Comments about this page

Congrats to all involved on yet another excellent achievement and well deserved awards. A very large thank you from an avid reader of this fabulous site.

By Dave Phillips (12/04/2008)

Many congratulations to all of you - very well deserved. And here's to many more years of this wonderful site.

By Jean (NZ) (12/04/2008)

Congratulations - awards well deserved! Thanks, Jennifer, and all your team!

By Jane Manaster (13/04/2008)

I would like to say a big thank you to Tony Mould who put me on to this wonderfull web site. This was after Remembrance Sunday last year. Well done to you all and keep up the good work Excellent. An award well deserved.

By Tony Avery (13/04/2008)

Many congratulations to everyone who's been involved in My Brighton over the years, for this well-deserved award. (There were quite a few Brightonians in Montreal at that conference - but we didn't influence it, but we did cheer it!). Here's to the next decade!

By Ben Rubinstein (16/04/2008)

Well deserved recognition for a team who inspire, assist, amuse and fill a vacuum for many expats.

By Richard W (Aus) (16/04/2008)

Hurrah! Congratulations to everyone at My Brighton and Hove. I read about it at the time but have just stumbled across this story and am reminded how wonderful your whole show really is. All the best for the future.

By Mark Walker (17/07/2008)

I agree with all the comments. A tremendous amount of time, energy and dedication has gone into all this. An historical record for posterity.

By John Wall (19/10/2008)

I would like to add my congratulations from an old(er) Hove boy now living in Australia who has contributed and reads the site regularly. It is sites like this (and Valerie Martin's www.findonvillage.com) which enable me to stay in touch with my Sussex roots. Thanks to all who put in the time and effort.

By Terry Walls (22/03/2009)

Hello Terry, I wonder where you are in Oz? Perhaps give me a call as one Hovite to another.

By John Wall VK2 (13/03/2010)

As a person who grew up in Brighton beginning in 1937, and who now lives in faraway Oregon I love this site. It brings back wonderful memories and awakens me to new episodes and people I did not know before. It is beautifully organized and it lives from new contributions. Bravo!

By Ian McKechnie (13/08/2010)