CW Freelance
Seeing the charities needs
from their perspective
Sometimes the best projects begin with a simple conversation.
Having known John for many years, I spotted an appeal he had posted on LinkedIn looking for someone to create a website for a charity he was involved with. I got in touch and soon found myself on a video call with John and his fellow Trustee, Alan, talking through what they needed and exploring how a website could do much more than simply provide information.
As they told me the story of the Trent Vale Trail, I was blown away by what they had set out to achieve.
What had begun as an idea several years earlier had grown into an ambitious project to create a complete 15-mile motor-free trail, opening up the landscape and giving walkers, cyclists, families and visitors a new way to explore and enjoy the area.
By 2025, that vision had become a reality.
My job was to create a website that could bring the whole project together and tell that story - not just explaining what the Trent Vale Trail is, but encouraging people to get out there and experience it for themselves.
I wrote all of the website content and designed and developed a multi-faceted site incorporating interactive maps, route and visitor information, blogs, local history, a shop and a dedicated ‘Plan Your Visit’ section.
There was a lot to communicate. The website needed to work for someone discovering the trail for the first time, someone planning a day out, local people interested in its history and development, and supporters wanting to follow or contribute to the charity’s work.
Most importantly, it needed to capture some of the passion and determination behind the project itself.
Working with John and Alan gave me a real appreciation for just how much vision, persistence and voluntary effort had gone into taking the Trent Vale Trail from an idea on paper to 15 miles of completed trail.
In fact, I was so impressed by what they had achieved that I nominated the team for the Newark and Sherwood Community Awards.
And they only went and won.
It was a lovely ending to a project I was already incredibly proud to have played a small part in.
First thank you for sending the activity report for yesterday evening’s meeting, I wanted to pass on our thanks that were formally recorded in the minutes of the meeting. The trustees have been hugely impressed and are grateful for everything you do, the profile of the FoTVT is increasing and we are more active than ever which is entirely down to your work. You have demonstrated strong initiative and have not needed significant input from the charity volunteers which is appreciated.
We cannot thank you enough for taking the charity from zero online presence, no website to being active with an excellent web site in such a short time. The trustees look forward to more subscribers, t-shirt sales, and donations as we move toward year end.
Again, thanks and keep up the good work!
John Ford
Chair & Trustee
Friends of Trent Vale Trail
A large part of my work over the years has involved charities, community organisations and people who are trying to make a genuine difference where they live. It’s work that means a great deal to me.
Strong communities don’t just happen. Behind them are often small groups of people giving their time, sharing ideas, raising money, finding funding, overcoming obstacles and quietly getting things done.
They might not have huge budgets, dedicated marketing departments or teams of people to tell their story. But what they do matters - and those stories deserve to be heard.
That’s where I feel my skills can make a real difference.
Whether it’s creating a website, finding the right words, developing a stronger identity or simply helping an organisation communicate what it does more clearly, I love being able to use my experience to help good ideas reach more people.
For a charity or community organisation, a website can be so much more than somewhere to put information. It can help people discover a project, understand why it matters, volunteer, donate, visit, get involved or simply tell someone else about it.
Projects like the Trent Vale Trail remind me why I enjoy this side of my work so much. It’s not simply about creating something that looks good.
It’s about helping people doing good things to be seen, heard and supported.
CW Freelance in Numbers
100%
Of projects delivered
40+
Websites Designed
400+
Digital Assets Produced
£m's
Revenue growth
Working with Charities
Work that means something
(approx £216 for 3 years)
(approx £216 for 3 years)