Save The School Campaign: 48-Hour Website That Mobilized a Community

A local primary school in Northern Ireland faced imminent closure with a council decision scheduled just days away. The community needed a digital platform to mobilize support, collect petition signatures, coordinate media outreach, and demonstrate community opposition—and they needed it immediately.

Traditional web agencies quoted 4-6 week timelines. The community didn't have 4-6 weeks. They had 48 hours before the council meeting.

The platform needed to be professional enough for media coverage, secure enough to handle sensitive community data, fast enough to handle traffic spikes, and simple enough for community members of all ages to use.

We designed and built a complete campaign platform from scratch in 48 hours. The site featured an integrated petition system with database backend, social sharing tools for viral growth, a media kit section with downloadable assets, and mobile-optimized design for maximum accessibility.

Every decision was made with urgency in mind. Clean, accessible design that worked on all devices. Secure database architecture to protect signatory data. Performance optimization to handle traffic spikes from media coverage. Simple content management for community organizers.

Key features included:

• Database-backed petition system with real-time signature counter
• Social sharing integration for Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp
• Custom admin panel with export options for signature data
• User-friendly interface accessible for all community members
• Mobile-first responsive design
• Secure HTTPS with data encryption

The site launched on time and immediately began driving community engagement. Within hours, local media picked up the story. Within days, it had gained national attention with coverage on BBC News, Belfast Telegraph, and Irish Times. The petition gathered over 1,000 signatures in the first 24 hours, demonstrating clear community opposition to the closure.

Custom HTML, CSS, and JavaScript front-end for maximum performance and control. PHP backend with MySQL database for petition management. Secure VPS hosting with DDoS protection and daily backups. Optimized for mobile-first responsive design across all devices.