Noticeboard help

Log in, open the noticeboard and tap Pin a notice. Pick a category, write a short headline and your message, and tap Pin it. You can add one photo, choose which island should see it, and (for events) add it to the community calendar at the same time.

You can also email a notice from the address on your account. The subject line becomes the headline.

A moderator reads every notice first. If it's approved it goes out in the next daily digest, which is emailed each evening. Most notices appear the evening after they're sent in, but it can take up to two days. If your notice is about something on a particular date, please send it at least two days before.

You'll get a notification when it's been reviewed, whether it's approved or not.

Yes. On the noticeboard, tap My notices. You can edit a notice until a moderator has read it. After that you can withdraw it, which also takes it off the noticeboard. To change something in a published notice, withdraw it and pin a new one.

Common reasons:

• It's still waiting for a moderator (see “When will my notice appear?”).
• You've reached the posting limit for your profile, or you've posted the same thing recently.
• It named someone in an accusation, shared private details, or broke another community guideline.
• An emailed notice couldn't be matched to your account. Email from the address on your profile.

If a moderator declines a notice you'll get the reason in your notifications. Disagree? Contact us.

The noticeboard is for real island neighbours, so we ask for your name, island, street and house number. Only your name and street name are shown, and only on notices and replies you post. Your house number and email stay private.

Choosing your street from the suggestions when you sign up helps us keep out made-up addresses.

No. Real names and streets are what keep the noticeboard friendly. If you have a concern you don't want to raise publicly, contact us or reply privately to a neighbour.

You can add one photo to most notices. Please don't include people who haven't agreed, or anyone's personal details. A moderator checks every photo, and location data is removed from your picture.

Links can be typed into a notice as plain web addresses. They appear as text and aren't clickable.

Reply to forum sends a public reply that a moderator reads, then appears in a digest. Contact author emails them directly, and the message arrives as “your name via SMBI Index”. The author can see your email address so they can answer you; you never see theirs unless they reply. When you pin a notice you can turn off private replies if you only want public ones.

There are no long threads. Replies are shown in order, and many neighbours simply continue by email or in person.

If you've claimed your business listing, choose Post as your business when you pin a notice. Business notices carry a badge, have their own limits, and can also be shown on your directory listing. Nonprofits, council and candidates have their own limits too.

Urgent announcements are for council and emergency services only.

Use Search to look across notices (the last 30 days), businesses, events and the island guide at once, or browse issues by date at the top of the noticeboard.

You always post as yourself. To also post for a community group, club, council body or election campaign, choose Add a profile in the “Post as” box when you pin a notice. Tell us the name and your role, and a moderator will verify it and email you. Each profile has its own limits, so your own notices are never used up.

Business owners: claim your directory listing and it appears in “Post as” automatically. See the business plans for higher limits.

The noticeboard is for people aged 18 or over, because it shows real names and streets. You confirm this when you join or first pin a notice.

Yes. It works like an app without an app store. On Android (Chrome) tap “Add to home screen” when the prompt appears, or use the browser menu. On iPhone (Safari) tap the Share button, then “Add to Home Screen”.

Open digest settings to turn the daily digest on or off. If you turn it off you can still read everything on the noticeboard. Every email also has an unsubscribe link.

Please don't post the same notice again and again. Identical repeats are declined automatically, and a moderator may hold back a near-duplicate. If something is still current, add a new detail, or wait a few weeks before posting it again.

Urgent is for council, emergency services and similar official accounts, for time-critical information such as a road closure or a safety warning. Everyone else can use Notice or Announcement. In an emergency call 000.

Use Lost & found. Say what the pet looks like, where and when it was seen, and how to reach you. A photo helps. Please withdraw or update the notice once the pet is home.

Use For sale / free. Say what it is, the price (or “free”) and roughly where to collect it. If you sell as a business, post as your business so the business limits and badge apply.

Civil discussion about local matters is welcome. Candidates and parties post from a candidate profile, with any authorisation statement the law requires. Personal attacks and accusations are declined.

Type the web address into your notice. It appears as plain text (not clickable). Add a sentence about why it matters to the islands, so neighbours know why you're sharing it.

Contact us with a link or a copy of the notice and what's wrong. We'll look at it promptly and may remove or correct it.