A year of a village hall website: what to update and when

A website does not need daily attention, but it does need a rhythm. Most of what changes on a village hall or club site follows the year. Here is a simple calendar you can adapt, and it fits neatly into a weekly update round where you send changes by the end of Tuesday.

Weekly

• Any change to what is on this week, such as a cancellation or new session
• A short news item if something happened worth sharing
• Check that the "next event" is still in the future

Monthly

• Add events for the coming two or three months
• Check that contact details and opening times are still right
• Take down anything that has passed

Once a term or season

• January: new-year timetable, membership renewals, hire price changes
• Spring: Easter opening hours, summer fete or event details
• Summer: holiday club information, outdoor activities, new photos
• Autumn: new-term timetable, annual general meeting notice, Christmas events and bookings

Once a year

• Review your policies, such as privacy, safeguarding and hire terms, and update the dates
• Check every photo still has permission and is still wanted
• Update committee names, if you list them
• Look at what people actually visit, and move the most useful information nearer the top
• Check the year on the footer, and that prices are current

Make it someone's job

Pick one person, or a role such as the secretary, to gather the changes each week and send them in. That single habit keeps a site fresh, and it stops it depending on one volunteer's enthusiasm. Read more in Keeping a group website up to date.