Accessible Gardening Aldgate: Inclusion and Usability

Welcome to our Accessibility Statement for Gardening Aldgate. This statement outlines how our community gardening programmes and information about gardens in Aldgate strive to meet accessibility expectations and support people of all abilities. We are committed to inclusive Aldgate gardening services, ensuring that planting, volunteering and information materials are available in formats that work for as many people as possible.

Our approach follows the WCAG 2.1 AA standard as a baseline. We regularly review content, signage and digital resources to align with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines so that online pages about Aldgate gardening are perceivable, operable, understandable and robust. Where full compliance is not yet achieved, we provide clear alternatives and improvement timelines.

We prioritise multiple ways of accessing information about community gardening Aldgate: written content that is clear and consistent, images with descriptive alternative text, and structured headings that assist navigation. We also commit to ensuring that maps, event listings and volunteer forms are accessible to assistive technologies whenever possible.

All pages and resources intended for public use are tested for screen-reader support. We use semantic HTML, correct heading order and ARIA where necessary to ensure that people using screen readers can understand and navigate content about Aldgate garden activities and site features. Our content is written to be concise, with meaningful link text and labels for form controls.

Keyboard navigation is supported across our digital offerings for Gardening Aldgate. Interactive components are operable using keyboard-only input, focus indicators are visible, and focus order follows logical reading order. This allows volunteers and visitors who rely on keyboard navigation to sign up, find event details and access resources without needing a mouse.

We maintain a list of practical accessibility measures for our on-site Aldgate gardens: level pathways where possible, clear wayfinding information, seating options and accessible raised beds. Physical accessibility is balanced with biodiversity goals to create inclusive outdoor spaces that welcome diverse participants.

Our content design choices include readable fonts, sufficient colour contrast, scalable layouts for different screen sizes and alternative formats on request. We aim to make guide content about Aldgate green spaces available in large print, plain text and other formats when reasonably practicable.

Below is a summary of key accessibility features for Gardening Aldgate:

• Standards: WCAG 2.1 AA compliance is our target for web content and documentation.
• Screen-reader support: Semantic markup, ARIA roles where needed and alt text for images.
• Keyboard navigation: Full operability without a mouse and visible focus management.
• Physical site accessibility: Consideration of paths, seating and raised beds to support participation.

We perform regular automated and manual accessibility checks for Gardening Aldgate materials and events. When issues are identified we prioritise fixes that benefit the greatest number of users and document the status of improvements. We also seek input from the local community and accessibility specialists to improve both digital and physical experiences.

We recognise that despite our efforts, not all content may yet meet every individual's needs. If you encounter barriers to accessing information about Aldgate gardening, require materials in an alternative format, or need support to participate in a gardening activity, please contact our accessibility team using the contact channels provided by our organisation. We respond to accessibility requests and reasonable adjustments in a timely and considered way.

To help us resolve requests quickly, please describe the content or service you are trying to access, the format you need, and any assistive technologies you use. We will acknowledge receipt, advise a timeframe for action and provide updates until the request is resolved.

Continuous improvement is central to our work: we update this statement and our practices as standards evolve and as we learn from the Aldgate community. Thank you for helping us cultivate more accessible, inclusive gardens and gardening resources in Aldgate.