Web wizard does it again

A WEBSITE whizz kid is busy putting the finishing touches on a website devoted to a church deanery – believed to be the first of its kind in the country.

James Abbott, 16, claimed the Thingoe Deanery site – made up of the 24 parish churches from around the Bury St Edmunds area – is truly unique after the Church of England website revealed it was the first deanery site.

Having spent his entire summer producing the website, the waiting is almost over for James with www.thingoedeanery.co.uk expected to go on-line next Sunday .

James said: "It has given me great pride to create such a unique product. I hope the site will be an initial point of contact for visitors to the area or people who have recently moved into the area.

"I have enjoyed creating it and I can't wait to see the end product when we launch."

The site will contain service times, contact details, photos and links for all of the 24 parishes in the Thingoe Deanery.

There will also be regularly updated news and events while minutes and agendas will also be available.

James first entered the world of website design earlier this year when he created a site for his home church in Great Barton.

It proved so popular that 100 visitors were registered in the first 48 hours and James said a subsequent feature in the EADT led to his current project.

He explained: "Following the article in the EADT, I was asked to maintain the website for hospital radio at West Suffolk Hospital. The Deanery also saw the article and brought the idea to me and it just went from there."

James, who has just started four A-levels at County Upper School in Bury St Edmunds, now hopes to use his website expertise to help him gain a university place.

He said: "The site has provided me with a good chance to gain experience of the computer science field, something that is essential when I come to apply for university, but that cannot be provided by qualifications.

The site, www.thingoedeanery.co.uk will go on-line at midday next Sunday .