The Northern Echo’s CommuniGate scheme, which has helped community groups across the region set up their own websites, has reached a major milestone.

The Internet scheme now has 1,500 websites – making it one of the most successful schemes of its kind in the country.

CommuniGate became an instant success when it was launched in September 2000, and continued to grow with more and more groups coming forward to get online.

The initiative was designed to offer free advice to non-profit making organisations across the region to build their own website, and now, Stockton Parish Church has become the 1,500th group to sign up.

There are more than 100,000 visits per month to websites linked to the scheme. It is designed for people who do not have any web-writing skills and aims to help them raise their profile.

And with about 50 groups signing up to the scheme each month, the next target of 2,000 could even be achieved by the end of the year.

Community web editor Andrew Hutton said: “It is really simple and on top of that, we are here to offer advice and we can even come out and visit groups to talk them through the process. I am sure it will continue to grow and grow.”

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