Swansea Women Aid — Full Website Rebuild
Overview
Swansea Women Aid needed a fully rebuilt digital platform that was secure, modern, and easy for their internal team to manage. I designed and developed a new website using Django, Wagtail CMS, and a Postgres-backed infrastructure.
The Challenge
The old website was outdated, hard to update, and lacked proper content structure. There was no CMS workflow, performance was poor, and visitors struggled to quickly find emergency support resources.
Project Goals
- ✔ Build a secure and scalable backend using Django
- ✔ Enable full content control via Wagtail CMS
- ✔ Improve user accessibility and mobile experience
- ✔ Integrate Stripe donations with proper reporting
- ✔ Deploy to a Linux server using a production-grade setup
Process
Discovery & Requirements Gathering
Met with the Swansea Women Aid team to understand pain points, donation flows, emergency pathways, and internal content workflows.
Information Architecture & UX Wireframing
Redesigned the sitemap, focusing on clarity and fast access to critical information.
UI Design System
Created a modern visual identity focused on trust, accessibility, and structure.
Backend Development (Django + PostgreSQL)
Built a robust backend using Django, structured content models, and Wagtail page types.
Wagtail CMS Integration
Implemented a flexible CMS with custom blocks, templates, and editorial workflows.
Stripe Payment Integration
Implemented secure Stripe donations (one-time + recurring) and admin reporting.
Production Deployment (Linux + PM2 + Nginx)
Configured a secure Ubuntu server, deployed via PM2, added Nginx reverse proxy & HTTPS.
Testing, QA & Accessibility Compliance
Performed WCAG AA compliance testing, mobile optimization, and performance tuning.
Results
- ▲ Performance score increased from 45 → 96
- ▲ Full editorial control via Wagtail CMS
- ▲ Higher donation conversions
- ▲ 60% faster load times
- ▲ Clearer navigation for emergency support
“The new website has transformed how we support women. It’s faster, easier to use, and our team can finally manage everything without technical help.”
— Swansea Women Aid Team