BEHIND THE BUILD OF WILD MAIDENHEAD
For Wild Maidenhead, WordPress offered the flexibility and structure needed for a content‑rich, community‑driven site. With multiple content types, events, species, habitats, news, volunteering, and membership, the platform allowed me to create a system that’s both scalable and easy for volunteers to update.
Role
Website build
UI Design
Responsibilities
WordPress set up
Site build
Project management
Handover
Date
January - February 2026
Testimonial
"Throughout the process Louise was friendly and supportive, clear with her advice, providing practical recommendations and content briefs, and responsive to all our questions. Her creative touch and thorough approach means that the end result is a website which is both visually pleasing and easy to navigate. We are really pleased with the new Wild Maidenhead website and would not hesitate to recommend Louise to others."
Jo McMullen, Treasurer
How I structured the build
The site is built around clarity, accessibility, and long‑term sustainability. Here’s how the build supports that:
Clean, intuitive navigation
The site has a large amount of content, so I created a three‑tier navigation structure that keeps everything findable without overwhelming visitors.
Sections like Wildlife, Get Involved, and About are grouped logically, with clear subpages beneath each.
Consistent page layouts
I've used WordPress block patterns and repeatable structures to ensure:
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Pages feel cohesive
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Volunteers can add new content without breaking layouts
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Key information (e.g., events, species, projects) are always presented in a familiar format
Visual storytelling through curated imagery
The site uses strong, nature‑rich imagery throughout, from species pages to volunteering and events, creating a sense of place and purpose.
I've balanced this with performance‑friendly image handling so the site remains fast and accessible.
Accessibility first decisions
I've transformed Wild Maidenhead’s website into a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible digital space that empowers more people, regardless of ability, to discover, enjoy, and protect local wildlife.
Throughout the build, I've prioritised:
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Responsive, mobile friendly design
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Semantic headings
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Clear link text
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High‑contrast buttons
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Logical reading order
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Alt text fields ready for volunteer editors
This supports Wild Maidenhead’s mission of inclusivity and community engagement.
An editor experience designed for non-technical users
I've set up the backend so volunteers can:
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Add news posts
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Update events
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Upload images
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Edit page content
…all without needing to touch code or navigate complex settings.