Clare Bryden founded Websites Ahoy! in 2011 with the aim of making it easy for small businesses and community groups to publicise themselves on the web, with good-looking and good-value websites. Our ulterior motive is to help build local communities and support networks.
Director: Clare Bryden
Clare’s background is in energy-environment consultancy, environmental research and business analysis, working in the public, commercial and charity sectors. She has years of experience in understanding customer requirements; delivering requirements; influencing changes in ways of working; and communicating the outcomes of analysis. She has always had at heart a care for, and a search for understanding of, the environment.
She most enjoys working with other enthusiasts, and the growth of the Transition movement prompted her to have a greater involvement at the grass roots. Over the years, she has developed many websites for the organisations she has worked for or been involved in – see the following list, though note that many of these sites have since been further developed. She wants to support people and groups who are working for a more caring, sustainable and beautiful world through helping them communicate their work and message.
- Cambridge Econometrics
- Bracknell Parish Church
- Christians Together in Central Exeter
- Exeter Philharmonic Choir
- Sheldon Clergy Forum
- Transition Exeter (as a member of the Web group), also providing training to users
- Exeter Diocese Shrinking the Footprint campaign
- Devon Churches Green Action
As a business analysis at the Met Office, she was also involved in developing the requirements for customer websites and a refresh of the Met Office‘s own site.
Clare has a wide experience in types of analysis and writing, and is putting this to good use in our service to develop website content:
- website content – advice on energy saving and renewable energy projects for churches; and a description of sustainability in a monastic community
- policy – business and investment analysis reports for the Met Office; analysis of energy and environmental policy at Cambridge Econometrics
- journalism – for the Guardian website and Church Times
- academic – medical peer-reviewed papers and articles about the impact of weather on human health while at the Met Office
- blogging – on “things that interest her”, and in 2012 as the storyteller for TEDxExeter
Ethical business
Websites Ahoy! aims to operate as sustainably and responsibly as possible. We buy our electricity and gas from an ethical supplier, and where possible our office supplies from sustainable sources. We use co-operatives for our phones, broadband and banking. We travel by bicycle and public transport, and are members of a car club if we need to use a car.
We donate funds each month to local and overseas charities, and aim to donate a few hours each month to help charities with their websites. This may be technical development, or support in thinking through the use of the website as part of a wider communications strategy, or one-to-one coaching. Please get in touch if you would like to take us up on this offer, but please bear in mind that our time is limited!
Our current preferred website hosting provider has a charitable policy. At present, they do not have an environmental policy, and we will try to influence this. We use them because they have an excellent track record in providing customer service.