Valley couple spin web of adventure
STUART PIKE
AVALLEY couple are marrying ancient with modern with a web app drawn up at their kitchen table.
Mark and Joanne Whiteley, of Hardman Avenue, Rawtenstall, have launched audio adventure site Snikkit.com, telling stories of Rossendale’s proud heritage.
Originally designed to tap into Rossendale’s Shoe Trail, the app’s other content includes a guided tour inspired by the ‘X43 bus route’ and even a ghost walk in Rawtenstall.
Referencing the word snicket, meaning narrow alleyway or shortcut, Snikkit works through ‘geofencing’ - with content pushed to mobile devices when users trigger a certain GPS location.
Inspired by a trip to a famous German city, the couple say the app cur- ●● Mark and Joanne Whiteley who have launched audio adventure app Snikkit.com rently has ‘ 700 snikkits’ and the only real limit to its reach is availability of enough quality content.
Mark, 50, said they launched the app in October and their ‘ analytics’ are promising. He says content will always be free but if the platform takes off, they hope to develop a business model around advertising.
He explained: “It started when I went to Dresden. At first you don’t know what to look at, it’s beautiful. But I found a mobile app where you walk up to a beautiful church or building and it downloads the information about that building. I thought wouldn’t it be brilliant if you could walk up to a ‘story’ and the mobile device tells you that story? If you get 10 metres away it allows you to listen to the story or information.”
The app was helped by a £9,400 heritage lottery grant for their Footwear Heritage - The Next Generation project.
Mark added: “You walk up to a mill and it will tell you about it. Waterfoot, in particular, was the centre of the shoe industry from about 1860.
“There’s all sorts of stories on there. We have interviewed some older people who worked in the mills making shoes. We saw where the technology could take us.
Mark and Joanne, who also run the Hard Graft Theatre Company, say they have already developed 16 bespoke ghost walks up and down the country.
Mark said: “We are doing a Rossendale Ghost Walk for Halloween. I’m a theatre producer and writer and actor but I’ve been blown into this world of technology. It’s been quite tough really but I think content is king and if you’ve got the stories right people will start to listen and engage.” HELP with energy bills is on hand at a community drop-in session.
A representative from Bacup’s Citizens Advice Bureau will be present at the community drop-in at Longholme Methodist Church in Rawtenstall on Monday, November 12, from 10am to noon. The focus of this session will be to support people with swapping energy supply companies. People will need to bring with them current details of their energy suppliers.