Award Win: Celebrating Best Designed Site at the 2026 Umbraco Awards!

We are absolutely thrilled to share some massive news: Yoyo has taken home the international trophy for Best Designed Site at the 2026 Umbraco Awards for our work with children’s charity Demelza!

The Umbraco Awards celebrate the very best digital experiences globally, and being recognized at this level means the absolute world to us.

Here is a look at what made the project stand out and why it captured the hearts of the judges.

What's this all about?

Healthcare and charity websites often carry a heavy burden - they need to convey critical, sometimes overwhelming information, which can inadvertently result in a cold, clinical feel. When we partnered with Demelza, our mission was clear: shatter that clinical feel. 

We set out to craft a digital space that felt exactly like Demelza’s physical hospice spaces - warm, playful, approachable, and filled with wonderful children. Winning this award validates our belief that accessible design should never compromise on emotional heart.

Why it stood out

The judges noted that our entry achieved design excellence that runs both ways, proving that what happens in the back-end is just as vital as what visitors see on the front-end.

An uplifting visitor experience

We intentionally softened the user journey by anchoring the site around a conscientious, accessible layout and a smart, joyful balloon theme. This uncluttered aesthetic guides families and supporters naturally, offering clear, frictionless paths to donate and find support.

Empowering the back-office team

True design excellence shouldn’t stop at the user interface. We built a highly flexible, intuitive block-grid setup in Umbraco for Demelza’s internal team. This empowers their back-office editors to easily manage and update content without losing design consistency, freeing them up to focus on what matters most - their incredible cause.