Hi everyone

Many of you may remember that during 2019 there were concerns about whether the website could continue given the limited number of volunteers available and some technical problems. We have kept going and now can announce the long term approach.

Gloucestershire Family History Society (GFHS) has taken over responsibility for maintaining the site, the data and the Forum. The Society has undertaken to retain the fundamental approach of the site’s founders - to provide a freely available source of data for genealogical research about the Forest of Dean.

I have been Admin 2 on the Forum for a while and I am also webmaster for GFHS. I will deal with day to day tasks and I am planning an upgrade of the site later in 2023. Michael Gwilliam - the main admin for several years - will still be around to offer occasional advice and Graham Davidson will continue to provide data from time to time.

My thanks to Mike and others for the hard work in keeping the site going so far and for inducting me into its workings so that I can now provide the main support.

The data here and the way conversations on the Forum help people to make progress with their genealogy depend on contributions from many people. Thank you all for that.

We welcome comments on issues that need resolving or ideas for improvement. You can expect some more requests for help as well!

Best Wishes

Paul

Paul Evans

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Admin 2

Pleased to read that the future of this data and forum is safe

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Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>

I am also glad to see that the future of the data and forum has been assured.

My thanks to those past and present who have contributed so much to our understanding of our shared Forest root even if (like me) they were not actually born there!

-Colin

Hi
Thank you for this most welcome news.
If ever i think i might be able to contribute to a discussion or find a record i will always try to help.
I look forward to the future

Sid Toomey

Thank you so much for this news.

Coming from a well-known family in the Forest area, I have found the whole website invaluable in my continuing search for my paternal family for a good few years now.

Many thanks and good luck with your planned upgrades.
Gill Bennett (nee Ayland)

Excellent news. Well done to all!
I did some of my first genealogical research here, and will be coming back over the year as I try to bash what I have on the Goughs into something publishable. Very valuable place!

Thank you to everyone who contributes in any way to this site. It has been and continues to be invaluable in my search for ancestors in this area.

Many thanks to the dedicated folks who have been a part of creating, maintaining, and growing this wonderful site. Your collective work has been a true gift to FOD researchers around the world.

Happy New Year!

Many thanks to everyone who did the work to make this website such a great resource, and to those who are maintaining it now. You are all brilliant.
Nick

That's wonderful news! Thank you to all of the hard workers who kept this site going. I live in Australia and it's an excellent resource and I've found several ancestors here before finding them elsewhere and some not found elsewhere.

I have three small issues -

There was a link to donate to this site a couple of years ago, but it didn't work. I mentioned it to Mike at some stage. I'd still like to make a small donation, would that be permitted or welcomed? Or did you secure some funding from the heritage lottery etc?

I often check the box to login from this computer automatically, but I don't think it ever has logged in automatically.

Would it be possible to add a search function to search the forum discussions, please? Or can someone tell me where it is if it already exists?

Thanks in advance.

Kind regards,
Candy

Hi Candy

Good to hear from you. I have been quiet for a while but planning some improvements to the website soon.

In answer to your points:

We removed the button because it was causing some technical problems and we were worried that if the site failed it would be misleading to take funds. If you want to donate now please do so via GFHS as they are now responsible for the funding of the site.

https://gfhs.org.uk/product/donation/

I will have a look at the "login" issue but I have never found those things very reliable and we will be making wider changes in the near future.

There is a search box on the forum index page on the top right under the menu items.

Thanks again

Paul

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Admin 2

Thankyou this is much appreciated

Good evening Paul and everyone else,

The unlucky among you may recall I was an active member of this fantastic resource for almost ten years until my personal circumstances suddenly and massively changed in spring of 2019, by coincidence on the very same day as Admin first raised the question of the site's future, so sadly I was unable to contribute to the discussions at that time for which I belatedly apologise.

Despite this, from about 2020 onwards I've been pleased to actively promote this site and it's excellent forum on various social media and history websites, I hope I've helped encouraged a few new visitors to the site. I know other members have done the same.
Over those last few years I've been very pleased to see the site and forum continued to operate and apparently flourish, so I give my sincere thanks to all those involved. I was particularly pleased to see some of the "old" regulars such as Slowhands had returned - I hope "S" and ALL of the site's Admin, contributors, and members have been and still are enjoying good times and good health, especially during the awful covid years.

It remains for me to just say how very pleased I am by this latest announcement that the site's future appears to be assured. I wish you all continued success, and many thanks for all your very hard work behind the scenes and on the forum, I know it's not easy. Also for putting-up with me in the past, and helping me with my amateur efforts at researching local and family history. I'll try to get back into the habit of popping-by occasionally on the forum, but in the meantime thanks again !

Jeff Jones, once of Cinderford but still an exile in West Middlesex.