Building a new website to support the life-saving work of ANDYSMANCLUB

We’re passionate about championing the importance of mental health. That’s why, when we heard that UK-wide peer support network ANDYSMANCLUB needed a new website, we were keen to help. 

Here, we discuss why this is a project close to the crew’s heart, highlight our driving objectives and explain why a headless build was a no-brainer. 

Our charity of the year

Spreading the poignant message that ‘it’s okay to talk’, ANDYSMANCLUB runs talking groups for men experiencing emotional and mental health struggles. After inviting ANDYSMANCLUB to speak to the TBB crew about the invaluable support the group provides, we were inspired to make them our charity of the year and gift a new website. After all, it was apparent one was needed in order for ANDYSMANCLUB to continue reaching audiences (some worldwide) and delivering maximum benefit to those needing a listening ear during difficult times.

Meeting the demand

As in-person support wasn’t an option during some lockdown periods of the pandemic, the website provided a vital lifeline for many. But, unable to cope with the ever-increasing numbers of those seeking assistance, it regularly crashed, leaving people with limited means through which to access the information needed to reach out for help. 

Our task was to develop a website that would direct men in need, or family members hoping to assist a loved one, to access this sometimes-lifesaving support via their nearest clubs as quickly and easily as possible.

A clear direction

Ensuring that website users who are mentally struggling don’t feel overwhelmed when they land on the website was paramount. For this reason, we made the navigation much clearer and put the focus on the main CTA ‘Find your nearest group’, while secondary CTAs are hidden in a burger navigation. Time and date for meet-ups and the fact they’re free to attend are repeated and widely noticeable across the site. 

We also stripped back the colour palette to black and white with a bold CTA colour of yellow. Paired with a strong, heavy typeface, the site now has a masculine feel to appeal to its men-only members. Several visual and technical enhancements and usability improvements have been made for mobile users, while the UI is now more streamlined for ease of access to vital information. Subtle transitions on scroll make it a pleasant UX.

Finally, we’ve featured many testimonials and videos around the site so those struggling can learn about others’ positive experiences with ANDYSMANCLUB. Now, there’s a greater sense of brotherhood. Users can see the team, trustees and army of facilitators who are on hand to provide men with a safe space to talk in a judgement-free and non-clinical environment.

More ways to connect

There’s no intention to replace the face-to-face support (which has bittersweetly seen a 70% uplift in attendance since the pandemic began), but now ANDYSMANCLUB’s online presence has become ever more important – even enabling the organisation to support those struggling further afield in Texas and Moscow. 

We’ve been championing headless websites for a while now and through this latest build, we hope the website will be pivotal in enabling more people to reach out for help and quickly pinpoint an appropriate support group, ultimately saving lives.

Want to overhaul your own website but don’t know where to start? Drop us a line and our experts in website development will be happy to chat through your requirements and help you envisage a new direction.