ClerksWell Charity Hackathon: Restore Hope
On 28 November 2025, my colleague Shekhar Tarare and I took part in the ClerksWell Charity Hackathon, held internally alongside the wider hackathon taking place in London.
The goal was simple: to explore how technology could be used for good by solving real challenges faced by charitable organisations. Among the available challenges, Shekhar and I chose to work with Restore Hope, and our solution went on to win internally.
The challenge
Restore Hope supports families facing hardship through food access, community programmes, and the Dignity Supermarket.
As more families engage with the organisation, managing access, tracking progress, and preserving dignity becomes increasingly challenging without a digital solution.
The approach
We explored the idea of a unified digital ecosystem built on Umbraco 17, designed around three key user groups:
- Families
- Volunteers
- Administrators
Family access — built for ease, trust, and dignity
The family journey starts with a simple, passwordless login using a mobile number. New families follow a clear registration flow, with admin approval required before first access to ensure safety and authenticity.
Once approved, each family receives a digital profile and a single QR-based family pass for quick check-ins at workshops and the dignity supermarket. Engagement is reflected through a visual growth model that evolves as families participate more actively.
Key features include:
- Passwordless mobile login for easy access
- Single family QR pass used across all services
- Visual growth stages (Seed → Sprout → Tree → Mythic)
- Chat support to communicate with volunteers
- Voice control navigation via a speaker icon for accessibility
All engagement metrics update only after verified in-person check-ins, keeping progress accurate, respectful, and human.
Volunteer login — built for speed and impact
The volunteer experience was built for speed and simplicity. Volunteers can quickly find families, mark attendance in seconds, and stay focused on human interaction rather than administrative tasks. All actions update the system in real time, giving administrators clear visibility into on-ground activity and overall impact.
Empowering Admins: Mastering Management & Engagement
The Admin Dashboard brings all key operations into a single, easy-to-manage space. From managing members to approving registrations and tracking real-time engagement, it gives admins complete control while keeping workflows fast and frictionless.
Admins get a comprehensive snapshot of platform activity, all in one place:
- Total registered families
- Today’s footfall count
- Dignity Score reflecting overall engagement health
- Live activity feed capturing real-time check-ins, bookings, and admin actions
If you’re curious to learn more about initiatives like this, or want to explore chatbot functionalities and other digital experiences we’re building, feel free to reach out to us at ClerksWell. We’d love to show what’s possible.