Contents
Challenge: A need for warmth and connection
Sally Hough, an Art and Heritage Curator, volunteers at the Napier Drop-In Centre in Folkestone, Kent. This community space supports refugees housed at the nearby Napier Barracks through activities like English language workshops, cooking, art, music therapy, and creative mental health support. The centre also connects visitors with legal advisers to assist with asylum applications, helping them move beyond their temporary stay.
Sally needed a website to garner support from potential funders and inform visitors and potential volunteers. A colleague initially attempted to create the website on Wix, but it needed more warmth and professionalism that reflected the centre's values and mission. After discussing potential improvements, Sally and I agreed to start from scratch, building a custom WordPress site to communicate their story better.
Solution: Designing an inviting and empowering experience
The Napier Drop-In Centre home page displayed on a MacBook 16 laptop screen.
To address the centre's needs, I drew inspiration from other non-profit website templates. I focused on creating a colourful and inviting design that mirrored Napier Drop-In Centre's existing brand logo and colours. I aimed to balance professionalism with approachability, warmly welcoming visitors while establishing credibility for potential supporters.
The photography, captured by freelance photographer Andy Aitchison, played a central role in conveying authenticity. These powerful images offered a grounded yet inspiring portrayal of life within the centre, countering the often negative narrative surrounding asylum seekers in the UK. The visual design embraced these photographs, using them to tell a compelling story of community and support.
The result was a bright, user-friendly website that clearly communicated the centre's mission, ongoing activities, and impact on people's lives. The site also serves as an information hub and features an easy-to-update blog, allowing Sally to share news, updates, and stories from the centre, helping to keep the community informed and engaged.
The design journey, from initial concepts to the final website.
Sally was thrilled with the final outcome. The new website has provided a much-needed digital platform for the Napier Drop-In Centre, attracting funders and volunteers while creating a space where their stories can be told effectively and continually updated.
“Anthony created the website for our grassroots group that supports refugees: www.napierdropin.org. He was able to advise on a simple user-friendly interface suitable for NGOs and made it easy for us to understand how to maintain the website post completion. We are already seeing the benefits of having an accessible website with evidence of our work to increase funding opportunities. Anthony is personable, professional, and knowledgeable. Would highly recommend for commercial and non-commercial organisations. Thank you Anthony!”
Sally Hough
Arts and Heritage Curator | Refugee Advocacy and Support
Let’s work together!
