Accessibility Statement

Last updated: 13 October 2025

1NCLU5IVE SANDBACH is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for all people, including those with disabilities. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone and applying relevant accessibility standards.

Our Commitment

As a charity run by and for disabled and chronically ill people, accessibility isn't an afterthought – it's central to who we are. We believe everyone has the right to access information, services, and community connection, regardless of ability.

We aim for our website to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA standards, as required by the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (which we follow as best practice, even though we're not legally required to as a small charity).

Accessibility Features

This website includes the following accessibility features:

Navigation & Structure

• Skip link to bypass navigation and jump directly to main content
• Semantic HTML landmarks (header, nav, main, footer) for screen reader navigation
• Logical heading hierarchy (H1–H6) on every page
• Breadcrumb navigation on inner pages
• Consistent navigation structure across all pages

Visual Design

• High contrast text (minimum 4.5:1 ratio for normal text, 3:1 for large text)
• Large, readable base font size (18px on desktop, 16px on mobile)
• Generous line spacing (1.6 line height) for readability
• Text resizable up to 200% without loss of functionality
• No reliance on colour alone to convey information
• Clear visual focus indicators on all interactive elements

Keyboard & Interaction

• Fully keyboard-navigable – all features accessible without a mouse
• Large touch targets (minimum 44×44px) for motor accessibility
• No keyboard traps – you can always navigate away from any element
• Reduced motion support for users who prefer minimal animation

Content & Media

• Descriptive alt text for all meaningful images
• Decorative images marked with empty alt attributes
• Plain English language with minimal jargon
• Descriptive link text (avoiding "click here" or "read more" without context)
• Forms with clear labels and error messages

Assistive Technology

• Tested with NVDA and JAWS screen readers
• ARIA labels used only where native HTML semantics aren't sufficient
• Proper labelling of form fields and buttons
• Status messages announced to screen readers

Known Limitations

Despite our best efforts, some parts of this website may not be fully accessible:

• Embedded map: The Google Map on our Contact page may not be fully accessible to screen reader users. We provide text alternatives (address, service area description) alongside the map.
• Third-party content: Social media embeds (Facebook, Instagram) are controlled by those platforms and may not meet accessibility standards.
• PDFs: Some policy documents may be available as PDFs. We're working to ensure all PDFs are accessible and offer alternative formats on request.
• User-generated content: Photos and stories submitted by community members may not always include descriptive alt text. We're training volunteers to add this.

We're actively working to address these issues. If any of these barriers affect you, please let us know so we can provide an alternative.

Standards & Guidelines

We aim to conform to the following standards:

• WCAG 2.2 Level AA – Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (W3C)
• EN 301 549 – European standard for digital accessibility
• Section 508 (US) – where applicable to international visitors

Testing & Evaluation

We assess accessibility through:

• Automated testing tools (WAVE, axe DevTools, Lighthouse)
• Manual keyboard navigation testing
• Screen reader testing (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver)
• User testing with disabled community members
• Regular audits by accessibility specialists (annual review)

Browsers & Assistive Technology

This website is designed to be compatible with:

• Browsers: Recent versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
• Screen readers: NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, TalkBack
• Screen magnification: ZoomText, browser zoom (up to 200%)
• Voice control: Dragon NaturallySpeaking, Voice Control (macOS/iOS)

Feedback & Support

We welcome feedback about the accessibility of this website. If you encounter barriers, need content in an alternative format, or have suggestions for improvement, please contact us:

Email: accessibility@1nclu5ivesandbach.org.uk
General enquiries: info@1nclu5ive.org.uk
Contact form: www.1nclu5ive.org.uk/contact

We aim to respond within 3 working days. We'll work with you to provide the information in an accessible format or remove the barrier.

Alternative Formats

We can provide website content in alternative formats, including:

• Large print
• Easy Read
• Audio recording
• Braille (via partnership with RNIB)
• British Sign Language (BSL) video

Please allow up to 10 working days for us to arrange alternative formats. There's no charge for this service.

Enforcement & Complaints

If you're not satisfied with our response to accessibility concerns, you can:

1. Use our formal complaints procedure
2. Contact the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) if you believe we've discriminated against you: equalityadvisoryservice.com

Physical Accessibility

This statement covers our website. For information about the physical accessibility of our events and venues, see:

• Events calendar (with accessibility badges for each event)
• What We Do (accessibility features of our activities)

Ongoing Improvements

Accessibility is an ongoing commitment. Our current priorities include:

• Adding more descriptive captions to event photos (Q4 2025)
• Creating Easy Read versions of key policies (Q1 2026)
• Improving form validation and error messaging (Q4 2025)
• Adding BSL interpretation to introductory videos (Q1 2026)

Contact & Further Information

For questions about this statement or to report accessibility issues:
Email: accessibility@1nclu5ivesandbach.org.uk