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Web Design for Carers and Communities – Building an Accessible, User-Focused Website

New Website with improved usability

Carers and Communities supports carers and patients across the county by providing information, advice, emotional support and well being activities. They work to improve the lives of carers and their communities, helping those who look after family or friends due to illness, disability, or age-related needs. Through dedicated services and volunteer support, they aim to ensure carers feel recognised, valued and supported.

Website Challenges and Objectives

Referred to Citrus Web by another local charity, WAC’s existing website lacked clarity, emotional warmth, and intuitive navigation. The structure was outdated, messaging inconsistent, and the overall design failed to reflect the compassion and impact of WAC’s work.

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In preparation for a relaunch during National Carers Week, we were tasked with developing a new online presence that would:

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  1. Clearly define who WAC is and the range of services they offer.

  2. Make it easy to make a referral.

  3. Make accessing support in various ways as clear and simple as possible.

  4. Make the website easier to use by improving the site and page structures.

  5. Increase involvement through clear calls to action and donation pathways.

  6. Enhance emotional engagement and build trust through warmer design, relatable imagery and softer language.

  7. Encourage greater community involvement, including volunteering and accessing services.

Strong Message

Simple, intuitive design

Increased Engagement

The Solution

A Thoughtful, Collaborative Approach to Charity Web Design

Working to a tight deadline, we delivered a fully restructured, user-friendly website that complements WAC’s existing branding and new marketing materials. We simplified the navigation, clarified content, and introduced a more compassionate tone of voice.

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Key Improvements included:

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  • New Carers Information Hub
     

  • Two bespoke referral forms tailored to WAC’s support process.
     

  • Integration of their existing online chat facility.
     

  • A new events calendar powered by Wix event management for smoother bookings and engagement.
     

  • Transition from the old events calendar to the new one, taking into consideration that about 10 events were live at the time. 
     

The result is a clear, accessible, and emotionally resonant website that puts carers first and gives WAC the platform they need to grow their impact and reach.

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A collaborative approach

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From the very beginning, we knew this website needed to serve a diverse and dedicated community — from adult unpaid carers to professionals in the health and care sector, and from donors and trustees to the wider Worcestershire community. That’s why we started with a detailed Web Strategy Workshop, taking the time to listen and understand the many different voices that make up Worcestershire Association of Carers (WAC). The insights from this session were carefully written up and used as the blueprint for the new website.

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We recognise that not all carers are the same. Each has their own unique experience and needs — whether they’re parent carers, full-time carers, young adult carers, or those supporting someone with physical or mental health conditions. It was essential to reflect this in the structure, content and tone of the site.

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To make sure we got this right, we continued to work closely with the WAC team throughout the development process. We visited them at their offices, meeting face-to-face with key people to move the project forward and keep it grounded in the real needs of the organisation and those it supports.

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Jenny Hewitt, Marketing and Communications Manager played a key role from a marketing and messaging perspective, ensuring the language felt warm, compassionate and consistent across all pages. She helped shape the voice of the website, making sure it aligned with WAC’s printed materials and reflected the charity’s deep-rooted values.

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We also worked closely with Mel Smith, WAC’s Service Manager, who brought vital insight into how carers engage with services. Her input ensured the content and structure of the site supported both carers and staff in a meaningful and practical way.

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This collaborative approach helped us build more than just a website — it created a platform that carers and the wider community can trust, relate to, and return to for support.

Launching on Time for National Carers Week

Meeting Tight Deadlines Without Compromising Quality

The new website for Worcestershire Association of Carers launched on time to coincide with National Carers Week, meeting a tight deadline without compromising on quality or attention to detail. The result is a warm, accessible and user-focused platform that reflects the values of the organisation and meets the diverse needs of its audience.

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Through collaboration, careful planning, and a deep understanding of the charity’s work, we delivered a website that:

 

  1. Delivered on time for National Carers Week, despite a tight timeline

  2. Created a clear, welcoming and supportive experience for carers, patients and the wider community

  3. Reflected WAC’s personality and mission across design, content and branding

  4. Streamlined navigation to make services easy to find and understand

  5. Developed two bespoke referral forms to support internal processes

  6. Integrated their events calendar with Wix Events for easier event management

  7.  Successfully incorporated their existing Online Chat facility

  8. Improved user engagement and accessibility across all devices

  9. Provided a strong foundation for future fundraising and awareness efforts

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Carers and Communities Web Design

"Our previous website didn’t showcase us as an organisation, who we are and what we do. It was not fit for purpose, lacking some of the necessary information and functions for users to access our services. We needed to ensure that events were bookable, referrals were easy to make both for the carer and for professionals, and donation functions were prominent. As a charity, we have numerous ways for people to get involved, from sharing their experiences and making donations to volunteering and recruitment. It was essential to present this clearly and in keeping with our modern branding, simplifying the often-overwhelming navigation of services and information for carers.

Helen came to us with a proposal that highlighted her research into our organisation and what the new website would need. Her understanding and commitment to supporting us to represent our values immediately stood out, and we were sold. Our strategy session with her proved to be a vibrant, dynamic workshop that allowed us to focus on our identity and how to showcase the nearly 30 years of experience we have supporting carers. We had been working on our branding and resources over the past year and wanted to replicate that in the new website. Helen guided us through this process, ensuring we captured everything we aimed for within the tight timeline.

Her dedication to understanding our requirements was exceptional. Helen worked tirelessly to build the website and was extremely responsive to questions, queries and No sooner had we provided content or updates, Helen was on it. We could not have achieved the turnaround we did without her focus and commitment, and a good few giggles and cake along the way! In fact, Helen quickly learnt my favourite cake and made efforts to bring that with her to our sessions. Sometimes it is the small things that make the difference! We pride ourselves on our partnership and collaborative working, and Helen's commitment was evident throughout the project.

We are extremely grateful for the work she has done. We have already received positive feedback about how much better the website is for users. Helen continues to offer support and shares our belief in our charity's mission, supporting us on social media and helping us to raise awareness of what we do.

Choosing to work with Helen was undoubtedly the right decision, and I couldn't recommend her highly enough."

Jenny Hewitt, Marketing and Communications Manager
Worcestershire Carers Association

Ready to give your charity a website that truly reflects your mission?

Let’s create an accessible, user-friendly platform that connects with your community, engages supporters, and makes every interaction count.
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