IF you thought having your own website was just for computer boffins -- think again.

Because your very own piece of cyberspace is now only a few clicks away, thanks to the internet version of the BEN.

It is all part of our This Is Lancashire website, which offers the chance to have your own pages on the community website called CommuniGate.

You do not need any special knowledge to set up a site and it is free. So far 250 non-profit organisations in Lancashire have started websites.

It is simply a case of logging onto www.thisisbolton.co.uk, clicking onto CommuniGate and signing in.

But CommuniGate is much more than a free web space provider.

It is a real-world, on-line community for sports and youth clubs, housing associations, village committees, religious and resident groups, schools, charities and families.

Every month, internet surfers from all over the world "visit" these mines of information over 30,000 times.

Part of the service includes having e-mails forwarded to your own e-mail address; you can include pictures and links to other websites as well as event calendars, contact information, message boards and guest books.

Horwich St Mary's Junior Football Club started a 15-page site in February. It means parents and players can call up the latest information about matches and events at any time, from the comfort of their own home.

Chairman Trevor Millington said the club used to produce a monthly newsletter.

But as they have grown from eight to 29 teams, a website where team managers can update their own information seemed more practical.

A more unusual -- and simply delightful -- site is Bill Killeen's Family Members Page.

It includes the latest updates on family news -- such as a recent fishing trip to Cornwall -- and plenty of pictures, showing all the generations.

"The CommuniGate service is smashing," Bill, from Lostock, said.

"Where else can you get all that for free?

"And there is no limit to the number of pages you can have."

Bill started his page as a way of keeping in touch with all his relatives all over the country -- from Blackpool to Torquay.

The 56-year-old said he was "surfing the net" one day when he came across the BEN and CommuniGate.

He soon became so inspired that he started his family's home page and from there it has "just grown", he said. Family members now have all have the password to the site, so they can add information, photographs and artwork themselves.

"Everybody takes part," said Bill." and we keep in touch more now.

Steve Hughes, editor of the Bolton Evening News, said: "The Bolton Evening News is proud of the strong links it has always had with the community.

"Now we are providing the same service to readers and advertisers online.

"Communigate is a wonderful opportunity for small groups and charities to set up their own websites with the support and expertise of our staff and it's free." WEBSITES If you want to create your own community swebsite, simply log on to www.thisisbolton.co.uk and clik on the Communigate link. The rest is simple. Internet links

www.communigate.co.uk/lancs/killeen

www.communigate.co.uk/lancs/boltoncommunitytransport

www.communigate.co.uk/lancs/horwichstmarys

www.communigate.co.uk/lancs/mlhc