Initial commit

Next.js + Express event management app for Hope Family Church.

info.md

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+# Hope Events — Event Management Platform for Churches
+
+## What is it?
+
+Hope Events is a complete event management platform built specifically for churches and faith-based organisations. It handles everything from advertising upcoming events and taking online registrations to collecting payments, generating QR-coded tickets, and checking people in at the door.
+
+---
+
+## What does it do?
+
+### For your congregation
+
+- **Browse events** — a clean, mobile-friendly listing of upcoming events with photos, descriptions, and dates. Events that are fully booked display a "Sold Out" badge so attendees know at a glance.
+- **Register online** — simple registration flow with support for multiple ticket types (e.g. adult, child, family) at different prices, including early-bird pricing and low-stock warnings.
+- **Pay online** — secure card payments via Yoco. Outstanding balances can be settled any time.
+- **Receive tickets** — QR-coded tickets are emailed automatically after payment. Attendees can also retrieve their tickets via a self-service portal using just their email address.
+- **Registration forms** — events can include custom forms (dietary requirements, T-shirt sizes, emergency contacts, etc.) completed at registration time.
+- **Downloads** — events can include downloadable attachments (maps, schedules, waiver forms, etc.) visible on the event detail page.
+
+### For staff on the day
+
+- **QR code scanner** — check people in by scanning their ticket QR code. Works in any mobile browser — no app to install.
+- **At-the-door panel** — search by name, phone, or ticket ID; mark people in; print or resend individual tickets on the spot.
+
+### For event organisers (supervisors)
+
+- **Event management** — create and manage events with photos, pricing, early-bird tiers, and registration deadlines.
+- **Ticket types** — flexible options (e.g. Adult, Child, VIP, Dinner) each with their own price.
+- **Payments** — view all payments, record cash or EFT manually, and issue adjustments.
+- **Bulk messaging** — send emails or WhatsApp messages to event attendees. Schedule reminders, thank-you messages, or general broadcasts.
+- **Forms** — view, filter, and print attendee form responses.
+- **Reports** — download attendance and payment reports.
+
+### For administrators
+
+- **User management** — manage accounts and roles (user, staff, supervisor, admin).
+- **Registrations** — a complete overview of all registrations across all events.
+- **Site settings** — update the organisation name, logo, brand colour, and notification preferences directly from the admin panel — no technical knowledge required.
+
+---
+
+## Pricing
+
+Hope Events is offered as a **hosted service**. You don't need to worry about servers, databases, or software updates — we handle everything.
+
+| Plan | Details |
+|------|---------|
+| Monthly subscription | Fixed monthly fee, billed in advance |
+| Annual subscription | Annual fee, billed in advance (discounted vs monthly) |
+
+Pricing is quoted per organisation based on expected usage. Contact us for a quote.
+
+> Online payment processing fees (charged by Yoco directly to your merchant account) are separate and not included in the subscription.
+
+---
+
+## Getting started
+
+1. **Get a quote** — contact us and we'll provide pricing for your organisation.
+2. **We set it up** — once you're onboarded, we deploy and configure the platform for you. You'll receive a link to your site.
+3. **First login** — a setup wizard walks you through entering your organisation details and creating your admin account. No technical steps required.
+4. **You're live** — start creating events and inviting attendees.
+
+---
+
+## Support and changes
+
+- **Hosting and maintenance** are included in your subscription. We keep the platform running, up to date, and backed up.
+- **Basic support** — we'll assist with your site link and answer general questions at no additional charge.
+- **Development requests** — custom features or changes can be requested at any time. These are quoted upfront and billed before development begins.
+- **Suggestions** — feature suggestions are always welcome and considered for inclusion in future updates, subject to our approval.
+
+---
+
+## Payment processing
+
+The platform integrates with **Yoco** — a South African payment gateway that supports all major credit and debit cards. You will need your own Yoco merchant account to accept payments. Yoco's standard transaction fee applies (currently 2.95% per transaction); this goes directly to Yoco and is not part of our subscription.
+
+---
+
+*Built for Hope Family Church, Henley-on-Klip. Available to other churches and faith-based organisations.*