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Case Study

Tasty Not Wasty CIC
Technology for Community Impact

A portfolio showcase of the platform we delivered: accessible design, clear journeys, and measurable impact aligned with the brief.

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Tasty Not Wasty CIC logo

How Tasty Not Wasty Reduced Food Waste and Strengthened Community

Tasty Not Wasty CIC is a community-led organisation in Llanyrafon, Wales focused on reducing food waste and supporting local families through a Community Fridge and a Pay‑as‑you‑feel Café. The credibility gap was clear: people needed a simple, trustworthy way to find help, volunteer, or donate, without stigma or friction. We built a fast, mobile‑first website that speaks plainly, shows live availability cues, and makes it easy to participate.

The Challenge

  • Information was fragmented; opening times and directions weren’t obvious.
  • Stigma required a welcoming tone and clear, non‑judgmental language.
  • Volunteers needed an easy way to sign up with dependable notifications.
  • Performance and accessibility for older devices and low connectivity.
“We watched seven trollies worth of bread go to waste. We had to act.”

How We Solved It

We co‑designed a simple, fast, and consistent site that centers dignity and action.

  • Discovery to strategy: mapped journeys for “I need support”, “I want to help”, “I want to donate”.
  • Clear pathways and live status: hero actions; opening‑hours logic for today/next opening.
  • Dignity‑first content: welcoming copy, FAQ panels, “no questions asked” messaging.
  • Reliable forms: accessible volunteer/contact forms with PHPMailer delivery.
  • Simple, maintainable technology: procedural PHP + Tailwind CSS + lightweight JS.

The Transformation

Before Before: older Tasty Not Wasty homepage layout
After After: refreshed Tasty Not Wasty homepage hero with clear CTAs
Before: busy layout and unclear CTAs. After: clear actions to get support, help, or donate, with live status.
Plain‑English copy Skip links & focus states LCP under 2.5 seconds

Results

  • Visual & Content Clarity: rewritten headings and three primary actions.
  • Accessibility & Usability: accessible patterns aligned to WCAG and keyboard support.
  • Speed & Comfort: lightweight build for older phones and spotty connections.
  • Ease of Ownership: minimal plugins; env‑based SMTP; clear file structure.
  • Authenticity: real context imagery and partner logos with descriptive alt.

What Changed For People

  • Finding help feels simple with clear opening times and directions.
  • No stigma at the door: “everyone welcome, no questions asked”.
  • Volunteering is friendly: calm, clear forms and confirmation UX.
  • Easy to share links to the right page for partners and supporters.

How We Worked With The Team

  • Listened first; used the founders’ own words to set tone.
  • Wrote for people, not systems; short, active headings.
  • Designed for dignity; no proof of need required.
  • Kept it practical; no heavy frameworks, no lock‑in.

Client Testimonial

“We believe everyone deserves dignity and respect. This site helps people find us faster and feel welcome the moment they land on the page.” Tasty Not Wasty Team

Notes on Implementation

  • Stack: HTML5 + Tailwind CSS, Alpine/vanilla JS, PHP 8.x, PHPMailer.
  • Live status: PHP date/time logic for opening status.
  • Forms: `api/` endpoints with HTML email templates and env‑based SMTP.

What You Can Expect

  • Plain‑English pages that answer real questions before a visit.
  • A warm, dignity‑first tone across the site.
  • Forms and emails that simply work with clear next steps.
  • A structure your team can maintain without a complex CMS.

Accessibility & Quality Checks

  • WCAG AA contrast verified for primary CTAs and body text.
  • Keyboard focus order and visible focus states; skip links present.
  • Descriptive alt text on figures and partner assets.
  • Mobile performance: light assets, lazy‑loaded imagery, minimal scripts.
  • SEO baseline: semantic headings, meta tags, OG cards, indexable pages.
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