Member Article

Silverline Memories Celebrate Accessible Website

A charity that supports people with dementia and their families in the North East has revealed a brand-new website that will help them deliver critical information thanks to Jackdaw Web Design.

CEO of the charity, Sandra Coulter, instigated the start of a full digital transformation following the pandemic, as the organisation couldn’t deliver their services face to face. To ensure they were doing their bit to alleviate social isolation, the team had to maintain contact and make sure interaction was ongoing with their clients. Sandra said:

“We had to be mindful that we offered a way that meant contact was kept but that client data was safe and yet all information easy to access. We won some funding for digital inclusion and all activity funds were freed up so we could do what was needed to keep delivering our all-important service.”

Working with Amy Purdie who redesigned the website and created the stunning new brand, Jackie Latham of Jackdaw Web Design built a technical platform which was consistent to operating solely online, which has been expanded and built upon in the last year. Sandra continued:

“As for the website reflecting Silverline Memories, Amy did a great job as the colour yellow not just looks good, but it is the last colour that people with dementia fail to recognise. We love the reaction from our clients, and want to thank Amy for her part in the success the site is enjoying.

“Jackie is also a truly phenomenal person. I am not technical at all, and Jackie has worked closely with me, taking my inarticulate brief, investing the time to really understand what we are aiming to achieve. I have really valued her directness, honesty and clarity in communicating with me. She has huge patience, lots of ideas and she really cares about your website hitting the mark with those that will be using it, fully engaging with her client’s purpose.”

Silverline Memories website has a striking front end, but the real magic lies behind, where there is a forum and personal online space for clients. Sandra loves the shop window which includes fonts and menus that rea easier to use for people with dementia, but the back-end functionality is where the lifeline is for people outside of groups and meetings. As well links to support, the forum allows clients to share, connect with peers, share feelings, post questions and all in an extremely safe environment. Jackie said:

“Silverline Memories were keen to move away from their prescriptive service and have a real online community that offered support for the future whatever happens. I have continued to work with the organisation through their transformation, helping integrate a new CRM system as well. The work the charity does is so important, it needed a suitable website to support it and I am delighted to have had the opportunity to build it for them.”

The organisation has a new employee starting soon, who will be working on the marketing and Jackie will continue to be on hand to support them settle into the role and to maximise the new site going forward. Sandra concluded:

“Jackie’s superpower is being accessible and available to help. That is so important for a technophobe like me.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Anna Toms .