This document outlines the accessibility policy for the Well Church Bristol website, https://wellchurchbristol.org, applicable within the United Kingdom.
Well Church Bristol Digital Accessibility Policy
Effective Date: 01 November 2025
1. Our Commitment
Well Church Bristol is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for people with disabilities. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone and applying the relevant accessibility standards. We believe that all people should be able to access the information and resources provided on our website, including those with visual, auditory, cognitive, and motor impairments.
2. Accessibility Standard
We aim to comply with the internationally recognised Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at the AA level as a minimum standard for the website and all future digital content published on it. These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities. Conformance with these guidelines will help make the web more user-friendly for everyone.
3. Scope and Implementation
This policy applies to the main Well Church Bristol website, https://wellchurchbristol.org, and all associated digital content, including:
- All static and dynamic website pages.
- New media, documents, and downloadable files (e.g., PDFs, Word documents) uploaded from the effective date.
- Embedded video and audio content (e.g., sermon recordings, promotional clips).
Implementation Strategy
Well Church Bristol will take the following steps to ensure and maintain accessibility:
- Design & Development: New features and design changes will be tested for WCAG 2.1 AA compliance before deployment.
- Training: All staff and volunteers responsible for content creation and website management will be provided with appropriate accessibility training.
- Alternative Text: All relevant images will include descriptive alternative text (alt-text) for screen readers.
- Captions/Transcripts: All pre-recorded video and audio content will be provided with accurate captions and/or transcripts.
- Testing: We will conduct regular internal accessibility audits and user testing, where appropriate, to identify and fix issues.
4. UK Legal Context
In implementing this policy, Well Church Bristol acknowledges its responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010. This legislation requires organisations providing goods, facilities, and services to the public (including digital services) not to discriminate against disabled people and to make reasonable adjustments to prevent disabled people from being placed at a substantial disadvantage. Adhering to the WCAG 2.1 AA standard is considered a key reasonable adjustment in the digital realm.
5. Review and Feedback
We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of the Well Church Bristol website. Please let us know if you encounter accessibility barriers or require information in an alternative format.
Contact Information
If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact us via:
- Email: hello@wellchurchbristol.org
We aim to respond to accessibility feedback within 5 working days and will work to resolve any issues identified in a timely manner.
6. Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed bi-annually (2 years) by the church leadership team to ensure it remains relevant, effective, and compliant with evolving technology and UK legal requirements. The next scheduled review date is October 2026.