Gardeners Barking Accessibility Statement

At Gardeners Barking we are committed to ensuring that our gardening services in Barking are accessible to everyone. Accessibility is central to our service delivery across the accessible Gardeners Barking area, and we regularly review our digital and on-site practices to align with inclusive standards. This statement explains how Gardeners in Barking approaches accessibility and the steps we take to support people with disabilities.

We design our online information and service materials so that Barking gardeners and clients can use them easily. Our priorities include clear language, consistent navigation, and ensuring that essential content is perceivable and operable. We also maintain an ongoing programme of accessibility testing and staff training so that access improvements are practical and sustained.

We follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at the AA level where possible, and our aim is to meet or exceed those requirements for all public-facing materials. That includes attention to text alternatives, color contrast, resizable text, and meaningful structure to help assistive technologies interpret content for users of screen readers and other devices.

Our accessibility standards

Gardeners Barking uses semantic HTML and accessible templates so that information about gardening services in Barking can be read and navigated effectively. We implement features that support screen-reader users and provide keyboard-friendly experiences. We recognise different needs and work to remove barriers for people with motor, visual, auditory, cognitive, and speech impairments.

Key accessibility features we maintain include:

• Screen-reader support: Structured headings and ARIA where necessary to improve reading order.
• Keyboard navigation: Full operability without a mouse, with logical focus order and visible focus indicators.
• WCAG 2.1 AA: Ongoing conformance checks for contrast, text spacing, and predictable content behavior.
• Captions and transcripts: Where media or instructional content is provided, accessible alternatives are made available.

We use user-centred testing and automated tools alongside manual checks, because reliable accessibility for local Barking gardeners depends on both code quality and real-user validation.

How we support assistive technologies

Our approach for assistive technology users includes regular compatibility checks with popular screen-readers, ensuring heading structure is consistent, and offering skip links and landmark regions so navigation is efficient. We also keep interactive controls reachable through the keyboard and maintain visible focus styles to help users understand where they are on the page.

We provide accessible PDFs and documents when requested and prioritize plain-language summaries for complex procedures related to gardening appointments or site visits. If an automatic conversion can cause accessibility problems, we provide an alternative manual version to ensure content remains usable for everyone.

Making our local Barking gardening operations inclusive is an ongoing process. We publish accessibility updates, fix issues reported through internal audits, and review third-party tools and integrations to ensure compliance. We also keep accessibility in mind when procuring new technology, equipment, or digital platforms to support Barking gardeners and their clients.

We welcome requests for alternative formats or adjustments to enable equal access. If you need information in a different format, require a specific accommodation for a service visit, or have difficulty using any part of our service, please contact our accessibility team through the channels you already have with us. We will respond promptly, set out a reasonable timescale for delivery, and work with you until the need is met.

Reporting accessibility issues: If you experience an accessibility barrier, please describe the content or feature and the preferred alternative format. We treat all accessibility reports seriously and prioritise practical fixes or temporary workarounds while a permanent solution is implemented.

Continuous improvement: We review and update this statement at least annually and whenever major changes to services or platforms occur. Our goal is to ensure that Gardeners Barking and all gardening professionals working in Barking remain usable and welcoming to everyone, regardless of ability.