Cumbria Cerebral Palsy
Non profit organisation working with people with Cerebral Palsy in Cumbria
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www.cumbriacerebralpalsy.net →
Putting people and support first
Cumbria Cerebral Palsy is a well-established local charity dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with cerebral palsy and associated disabilities across Cumbria.
The organisation provides a wide range of support, including family support, day services, community activities, training and fundraising, alongside operating charity shops that help generate vital income for its work.
The challenge was to bring all of these different aspects of the charity together in one clear and welcoming website.
The challenge
With a wide range of services and audiences, the website needed to work for many different people — including individuals with disabilities, parents and carers, families, volunteers, supporters and people looking to donate.
It needed to:
- Clearly explain what Cumbria Cerebral Palsy does
- Make support services easy to find
- Provide information for families and carers
- Explain the charity's day services
- Promote courses and activities
- Encourage donations and fundraising
- Showcase the charity's shops
- Provide volunteering and employment information
- Share the charity's history and story
- Make it easy for people to get in touch
The solution
I designed and developed a content-managed website that gives each of the charity's key areas a clear place within the overall structure.
Visitors can explore About Us, Family Support, Day Services, Our Shops, Fundraising, Get Involved and Contact Us, creating straightforward routes to the information they need.
The website also provides dedicated information about accessing both family support and day services, helping potential service users understand what is available and how to make contact.
Making support easier to understand
A major part of the website is explaining the practical support available to people across Cumbria.
The Family Support team provides practical and emotional support to children and adults with cerebral palsy, as well as their families and carers, with the team covering the county from Carlisle to Barrow.
The Day Services section explains the charity's Resource Centre at Lister House in Carlisle, including its person-centred approach, activities, facilities and opportunities for developing new skills.
Breaking this information into dedicated sections makes it much easier for visitors to find relevant support without having to navigate through a large amount of general charity information.
Showcasing the wider work of the charity
Cumbria Cerebral Palsy does much more than provide support services.
Its four charity shops in Carlisle, Brampton, Wigton and Cockermouth are an important source of income, with profits helping fund the charity's community work. The website gives each shop its own information and provides opportunities to encourage donations and volunteering.
The website also promotes training and development opportunities, including courses covering computer and online safety, retail and customer service, movement and wellness, music and animal care.
Telling the charity's story
The website also provides an opportunity to explain the history of Cumbria Cerebral Palsy and its development over more than 70 years.
The charity's history dates back to 1952, when a group of parents of children with disabilities formed the Carlisle Spastics Society. The organisation subsequently evolved into Cumbria Cerebral Palsy and developed its family support, residential, supported living and day service provision.
Including this history helps visitors understand the organisation's heritage and the depth of its commitment to supporting people across Cumbria.
Encouraging support
Fundraising and donations are an important part of the website.
Clear donation opportunities allow visitors to support the charity financially, while dedicated fundraising information helps explain how the organisation generates income to support its work.
The site also provides opportunities for people to get involved through volunteering and employment.
The result
The finished website provides Cumbria Cerebral Palsy with a central online hub for its services, support, fundraising, shops and community work.
Rather than treating the website simply as an online brochure, it provides practical information for people who need support while also helping the charity communicate with donors, volunteers, families and the wider community.
Built by Kierweb
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