Customer Story: Breathworks
Transforming Breathworks' online presence
Breathworks, a mindfulness charity that empowers individuals to manage pain, stress, and illness, had a website that, while functional, could be further optimised to better align with their mission and enhance the user experience. Access Charity Websites collaborated with Breathworks to refine their digital presence, streamlining navigation, enhancing user journeys, and creating a design that truly reflected their calming brand ethos. This evolution has not only improved engagement but also eased administrative processes, enabling the team to focus on their impactful work
Access Charity Websites
Challenge
- An overwhelming amount of information made the website difficult to navigate.
- Multiple services for diverse audiences caused confusion and hindered user journeys.
- The old design did not reflect the charity's mission to provide a calming and supportive experience.
Approach
- Defined key customer groups during a comprehensive strategy session to clarify audience needs.
- Streamlined content and navigation to create intuitive user journeys tailored to each audience.
- Designed a modern, welcoming website that reflects Breathworks’ mindfulness ethos.
Results
- Improved user experience with clear pathways to relevant services and resources.
- A visually appealing design with calming colours and rounded elements creates a welcoming digital space.
- Reduced administrative workload by providing clear, accessible information online.
The first draft of the design was spot on - it captured our vision perfectly. The team understood our mission deeply and translated it into an impactful and user-friendly website.
Breathworks’ journey to a streamlined digital presence
Introducing Breathworks
Breathworks is a mindfulness charity offering courses, teacher training, retreats, and events designed to help individuals manage pain, stress, and illness. A third of their offerings are available through bursaries or scholarships, ensuring that mindfulness support remains accessible to all. As Head of Marketing, Emma Williamson played a pivotal role in overseeing the redesign of their website, completing this milestone project as the final achievement of her tenure.
Understanding the challenges
Breathworks’ previous website faced significant issues:
- Overloaded with information: Users struggled to find what they needed quickly, leading to frustration and high bounce rates.
- Complex navigation: Multiple services targeting diverse audiences made it hard for users to follow clear paths.
- Lack of brand alignment: The outdated design failed to reflect Breathworks’ calming ethos, leaving a disconnect between their mission and their online presence. Emma explained,
“Feedback from customers often highlighted how difficult it was to find relevant information, which contrasted with the supportive experience we aim to provide.”
How Access Charity Websites helped
Access Charity Websites worked closely with Breathworks to address these issues:
- Defining audiences: Through a strategy session, the team identified key customer groups and created tailored user journeys.
- Streamlining navigation: A revamped homepage with anchor points and clear pathways ensures users can quickly find what they need.
- Aligning design with ethos: The modern, calm design uses soft colours and rounded elements to reflect the organisation's mission of creating a supportive space.
Emma noted, “The strategy session was invaluable - it helped us clarify our goals and gave us a clear roadmap to improve the user experience.”
Delivering results
Breathworks love their new website. Users now experience a welcoming digital space that mirrors the calm and clarity the organisation strives to provide. The design incorporates soft, soothing colours and rounded elements that make users feel supported from the moment they arrive. Emma shared,
“We want people visiting our site to feel a sense of calm and belonging, much like they do when practising mindfulness with us. Now, the website delivers this from the very first interaction, helping customers feel supported and at home.”
The changes have also had a tangible impact on internal processes. With clearer information and improved navigation, administrative queries will significantly decrease. Previously, the team often spent valuable time answering questions or guiding users to the right information. Now, customers can quickly find what they need independently, reducing the workload for a small and dedicated team.
For a charity like Breathworks, where resources are limited, this improvement is crucial. Every moment saved allows the team to focus on delivering their life-changing mindfulness services. Emma noted, “As a small team, we needed a website that worked as a seamless extension of our organisation, giving users the answers they need without creating extra work for us. The new website has done exactly that.”
A smooth and collaborative process
Emma thoroughly enjoyed working with the Access Charity Websites team throughout the project The project began with a strategy session where Access came prepared with a deep understand Breathworks’ goals, audience, and unique challenges. Emma was impressed by how quickly the team grasped the charity’s mission and vision, as well as their deep understanding of the audience's needs. She shared,
“From the very first meeting, it was clear they were on the same page with us, and their insights during the strategy session were invaluable in shaping the project.”
The collaborative nature of the process continued into the design phase. The designer delivered a first draft that perfectly captured Breathworks’ vision. Emma recalled, “His first draft nailed it. The design was calming, modern, and exactly what we needed to reflect who we are. It was such a relief to see our ideas so clearly translated into the design right from the start.”
Throughout the project, the support provided by Access was exemplary. Roberta, in particular, was praised for her dedication and responsiveness. Emma noted, “Roberta went above and beyond to guide us through every step of the project. She made sure we felt supported and was always there to answer questions or resolve challenges. It felt like she was truly invested in our success.”
The Access team’s ability to combine strategic insight with technical expertise ensured that the project was delivered smoothly, on time, and with exceptional results. Emma reflected,
“It’s rare to work with a team that not only understands your goals but is also so committed to helping you achieve them. Access Charity Websites didn’t just build us a website - they gave us a platform to amplify our impact.”
Why Emma recommends Access Charity Websites
Emma highly recommends Access Charity Websites for their ability to simplify complex projects and deliver tailored solutions. She praised the team's expertise and support. They understood our mission deeply and made the process seamless, from strategy to delivery.
Access Charity Websites: A partner for your digital transformation
Access Charity Websites empowers charities to create impactful digital presences with features designed to improve user experience, reduce administrative burdens, and enhance engagement.