Alan J. Wood: Founder of Wyenot.com, Ross-on-Wye

The place for information on Ross-on-Wye and the Wye Valley

ABOUT ALAN WOOD - 'WYENOT.COM' AND 'WYENOT NEWS'

Alan Wood, Editor - Wyenot News, January 2003. Photo: Tina Jones.		Wyenot.com was created in May 2000 by Alan Wood with Tina Jones providing administrative support. The web site was designed to provide local information and news, and to promote local business and tourism in the town of Ross-on-Wye and the rest of the Wye Valley. Prior to forming Wyenot.com, Alan had worked for the 'Ecclesiastical Insurance Office' since September 1970 at The Aldwych, London and, following a relocation to Ross-on-Wye in 1976, at their office in Gloucester. In 1984, Ecclesiastical Insurance bought Littledean Gaol in the Forest of Dean and between 1984 and 1991 Alan, ran the Print Department, located in the historic building. In 1991 he returned to the Gloucester Head Office, becoming involved in Graphic Design and PC Support then eventually before finally escaping, programming the company's new renewal system. Whilst building Wyenot, Alan took on a part time role as a postman in Ross, to help financially whilst building up the local news and information service. Tina Jones works as Bar Manager at the White Lion Inn and provides administrative help for Wyenot. More recently she has been more involved, presenting our weekly WNTV NEWS programme. WYENOT NEWS Wyenot News' is a completely independent weekly news service for Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, which is published at www.wyenot.com/news.

The first 'Wyenot News' was published in July 2004, although local news has been published on Wyenot.com since May 2000. Adding the sub section 'Wyenot News' seemed the natural progression to make as an enhancement to the already popular community and tourism web site, Wyenot.com, 'A Photographic Tour of Ross-on-Wye and the Wye Valley'.

Wyenot News' does not copy editorial from the local newspapers, neither does it have any affiliation with the local printed press. Mostly, I attend events to take photographs, film video for WNTV and report on various local issues personally. News items are also sent in occasionally by various individuals and organizations.

Wyenot News' has a regular local, national and international readership, which is increasing extremely rapidly. Putting local news on-line with back issues permanently available has considerably boosted interest in the local area.

Individuality

Individuality is a rare but valuable commodity and I sincerely hope that 'Wyenot' stands out from the flock of other web media as being an original creation which is easy to navigate. I have tried as much as possible to keep Wyenot in general unbiased, however I do find it far easier to cover events and places which I genuinely enjoyed, rather than simply attended for the sake of taking a few photographs.

Popularity

Wyenot News popularity has grown tremendously over the years and Wyenot as a whole is currently averaging 6,000 plus page views every day.

Funding

Wyenot.com receives no funding from either the Local or the County Councils or from any of the local Tourist Resources. A few local businesses however have gradually begun to support the web site by advertising and to these (listed below) I am extremely grateful.

Finally, and very importantly . . .

If you visit Ross-on-Wye or the Wye Valley in person as a result of seeing it here, or find Wyenot useful in any other way, please tell local people wherever possible that you found out via 'WYENOT NEWS' rather than just via the internet. Thank you.