diff --git a/templates/base.html b/templates/base.html
index 7e7cdf8..62d1685 100644
--- a/templates/base.html
+++ b/templates/base.html
@@ -11,15 +11,17 @@
 </head>
 <body>
 {% if year %}
-{% firstof year as current_year %}
+{% firstof year as current_year %} 
 {% else %}
-{% firstof "2024" as current_year %}
+{% now "Y" as current_year %} <!-- the year now -->
 {% endif %}
 
+{% now "Y" as now_year %} <!-- the year now as used in header text -->
+
 <div id="header"> 
-  <h1>CUCC Expeditions to Austria: 1976 - {{current_year}}</h1>
+  <h1>CUCC Expeditions to Austria: 1976 - {{now_year}}</h1>
   <div id="editLinks"> {% block loginInfo %}
-  {% if settings.DEVSERVER %}<b style="color:red">RUNNING ON LOCALSERVER</b>{% endif %}
+  {% if settings.DEVSERVER %}<b style="color:red; font-size:x-large">RUNNING ON LOCALSERVER</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;{% endif %}
     <a href="/">Home</a> |
     <a id="cuccLink" href="http://camcaving.uk/">CUCC</a> |
     <a id="expoWebsiteLink" href="http://expo.survex.com">expo.survex</a> |
diff --git a/templates/menu.html b/templates/menu.html
index d6d1b80..cda2740 100644
--- a/templates/menu.html
+++ b/templates/menu.html
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 {% if not homepage %}
 {% if year %}
-{% firstof year as current_year %}
+{% firstof year as current_year %} 
 {% else %}
-{% firstof "2024" as current_year %}
+{% now "Y" as current_year %} <!-- the year now -->
 {% endif %}
+
 <div id="menu">
 <ul id="menulinks">
 <li><a href="/index.htm">Home</a></li>
