Bonnie has been my rock since I moved to Whitstable earlier this year. If I desperately needed a plumber, builder – you name it – she was always on hand with great advice and most importantly, contacts. She came up with an idea and within a matter of less than two months had built a team and an invaluable hub for the local mums. It’s little touches and attention to detail that ticks the boxes for me. For example, listings of clubs and classes are listed only by clicking on a day of the week, so no muddling through the whole week is required. The Mum meet ups section has a calendar and there is even a forum!
I asked Bonnie to share with me what it was like to set it up, what role social media plays in it and how she sees it growing.
Q: What prompted you to set up Whitstable Mum website? What is so unique about it?
When I first moved here it was really hard to find up to date playgroup listings to take my toddler to. The same with clubs, I only knew about things through word of mouth or from flyers seen around town. This is something that Jemma and Lyndsey also felt strongly about too. The site is unique in the sense that it is based around one town. There are many nationwide mums listings sites, but whitstablemum.co.uk is intimate and relatable.
Q: Was it easier or harder than you thought?
Much harder! Every listing had to be researched and confirmed. None of us are web designers, we used a platform that allowed us to build the site from home in a painstakingly slow fashion.
Q: Which social networks do you use? Why is it important for your community?
We use Facebook and Twitter. I run the Whitstable mum-meet up closed group for the sole purpose of bringing mums together and it has grown to 170 members strong. The Facebook page that supports the site give us a chance to post up-to-date information on everything mum-related and changes made to the site. Keeping local mums informed brings people together enhancing community life in Whitstable.
Q: What’s the ambition for your website?
To continue to grow and develop, following everything that is going on in Whitstable! We would like it to have an online magazine feel whilst offering local businesses a platform to promote their products to Whitstable Mums.
And finally, Bonnie, Jemma and Lyndsey are now gracing the likes of the Whitstable Gazette, which came out this week! Well done ladies 
To find out more about Whitstable Mum website, go to their website www.whitstablemum.co.uk.
Bonnie, Jemma and Lyndsey can be contacted via email whitstablemum@gmail.com.
You guys eliminate it real unproblematic for all the folks out there.