Video and Web

Creating a clearer, more useful website for a long-established charity

The Timber Trades’ Benevolent Society approached Video & Web with an existing website that no longer reflected the charity’s role, purpose, or the people it supports.

The old site had become outdated, difficult to use and unsuitable for modern visitors. It was not mobile-friendly, the structure felt limited, and the website did not give the charity enough flexibility to share news, events, or stories on a regular basis.

Most importantly, the website focused heavily on fundraising but did not clearly explain the valuable work TTBS does for people in the timber industry.

The charity needed a clearer identity, a more modern website and a structure that would help visitors understand who TTBS supports, how to get help, how to donate and how to stay involved.

Moving the focus back to the charity’s work

A key part of the project involved shifting the emphasis of the website.

Fundraising remains extremely important for TTBS, but the charity also needed to communicate its wider purpose. The new website had to explain the practical support, financial assistance and wellbeing help available to former and current employees of the UK timber industry.

We created a website structure that placed the charity’s work at the centre of the user journey. Clear sections for getting help, making a donation, reading news, and viewing events helped make the site easier to understand and use.

TTBS was given a stronger platform to communicate its mission, support beneficiaries, and engage with patrons, donors, and industry contacts.

Developing a new brand identity

Alongside the website, we developed a refreshed brand identity for TTBS.

The new identity needed to feel warm, trustworthy and approachable while still looking professional. As a charity connected to the timber industry, it also needed to reference people, support and the timber trade without feeling dated or too literal.

The updated logo, colour palette and visual style gave the charity a more distinctive and consistent presence. The design helped the website feel more welcoming and gave TTBS a stronger identity across digital content, events and communications.

Creating dedicated sections for news and events

The old website had limited space for regular updates, making it harder for TTBS to share its activities and keep supporters informed.

We created a dedicated news section so the charity could publish updates, stories, fundraising activity and important announcements. Giving TTBS a more active online presence and making the website feel current.

We also created an events section to help promote upcoming fundraising events and industry activities. So it made it easier for visitors to see what was happening, find key dates and stay connected with the charity’s work.

Showcasing the National Golf events

Golf events play a major role in TTBS fundraising, so the new website needed to give them proper prominence.

We created a dedicated National Golf section to showcase the charity’s golf trophies, past winners and event history. Thus giving one of TTBS’s most important fundraising activities a clearer home on the website.

The section also helped celebrate the people and organisations who support the charity through these events, giving the golf activity more visibility and a stronger sense of importance within the wider website.

Giving the charity control over its content

TTBS needed a website that charity personnel could update themselves without relying on a developer for every change.

We built the site with a content management system, giving the team the ability to add and edit news, events, pages and key information. The website became more practical for day-to-day use and enabled the charity to better maintain information accuracy and up-to-date status.

This was especially important for a charity with regular events, patron updates, fundraising news and beneficiary stories to share.

TTBS video screening at the TDUK Annual Dinner

Raising awareness through animated video

Later in the project, TTBS needed a clearer way to explain what the charity does, particularly at industry events.

In the past, fundraising at events often relied on people collecting donations with cash collections. While this helped raise money, many people attending those events did not fully understand the charity’s purpose, who it supported or why their donation mattered.

We produced an animated awareness video to tell the TTBS story in a simple, engaging and accessible way. The video helped explain the charity’s work, the people it supports and the importance of donations from across the timber industry.

TTBS now uses the video online and at events. By linking a QR code directly to online donations, the charity can raise awareness and encourage giving at the same time. Instead of simply asking for donations, TTBS can now show people why their support matters.

Extending the identity into promotional materials

The refreshed brand identity also gave TTBS a stronger foundation for wider promotional materials.

Once the logo, colours and visual style had been established, the charity could use the identity across a whole range of communications. Materials included digital graphics, and printed promotional items such as pop-up banners.

These materials helped TTBS look more consistent and professional at events, making the charity easier to recognise and helping reinforce its message across the timber industry.

The result

The new TTBS website gave the charity a much clearer and more modern online presence.

It replaced an outdated, non-mobile-friendly website with a cleaner, more accessible, and easier-to-manage platform. The new structure helped visitors understand the charity’s purpose, find support, make donations and stay informed about news and events.

The refreshed brand identity gave TTBS a more recognisable visual presence, while the animated video and promotional materials helped the charity communicate its work more clearly at events and online.

By combining branding, website design, content management, video and promotional materials, the project gave TTBS a more complete communication platform. The charity can now explain what it does, keep supporters informed and encourage donations with greater confidence.