1. Introduction

Maiden Erlegh Trust is committed to ensuring that our websites are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. We want everyone to be able to access information easily and without barriers.

We recognise that some areas of our websites do not currently meet full accessibility standards. As part of our ongoing accessibility plan, we are working to improve usability and meet the latest accessibility standards.

Our goal is to achieve full compliance with WCAG 2.2 AA standards through a complete website rebuild. In the meantime, we are making regular improvements to enhance the experience for all users.

We are committed to:

• Making our websites easier to use for everyone.
• Removing barriers that prevent access.
• Acting on feedback and making adjustments where needed.

2. Compliance Status

Our websites are partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standards. We are working towards full compliance with WCAG 2.2 AA as part of our ongoing improvement plan.

3. Known Accessibility Issues

We are aware that some parts of our websites are not fully accessible. The main issues include:

• Images: Do not have alternative text for screen readers.
• Colour Contrast: Some text does not have enough contrast with the background.
• Keyboard Navigation: Some features cannot be used without a mouse.
• Videos: Do not have captions or transcripts.
• Forms: Some labels and error messages are unclear or not fully accessible.
• PDF documents: Some need to be archived and some need to be re-uploaded in an accessible format.

We are addressing these issues through planned improvements.

4. Accessibility Improvement Plan

We recognise that our existing websites have technical limitations. However, we are committed to making improvements, including:

• Building new, fully accessible websites: Our new websites will be designed to meet WCAG 2.2 AA standards.
• Updating existing sites: While the current websites are not being redeveloped, we are fixing accessibility issues where possible.
• Regular accessibility testing: We manually check for issues and make improvements where we can.
• Training for staff: We ensure that new content added to our websites follows accessibility guidelines.
• Using an accessibility checklist: This helps us ensure that updates consistently meet accessibility standards.

5. Reporting Accessibility Issues

We welcome feedback to help us improve accessibility. If you have difficulty using our websites or need information in a different format, such as an accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording, or braille, please contact us:

Email: metmarketing@maidenerleghtrust.org
Phone: 0118 929 6020

We will respond within seven working days.

6. Enforcement Procedure

If you are not satisfied with our response, you can contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) for further help:

Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) – Visit Website

7. Technical Information About This Website’s Accessibility

Maiden Erlegh Trust is committed to making its websites accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Compliance Status

Our websites are partially compliant with WCAG 2.1 AA, and we are working towards full WCAG 2.2 AA compliance.

Non-Accessible Content

Some areas of our websites do not fully meet accessibility standards. These include:

• Hyperlinks on coloured backgrounds: Some links do not have enough contrast.
• Screen reader compatibility: Some forms and interactive elements do not work fully with screen readers.
• Navigation: Some sections are difficult to use with a keyboard.

We are making changes to address these issues.

8. What We Are Doing to Improve Accessibility

We are taking steps to improve accessibility, including:

• Fixing colour contrast issues to improve readability.
• Adding alternative text to images.
• Ensuring all interactive elements can be used with a keyboard.
• Providing captions and transcripts for videos.
• Adding Alt Text to images.
• Improving form labels and instructions.

9. Review and Updates

This statement was prepared on 31 January 2025 and was updated on February 17 2025 and will be reviewed regularly to reflect ongoing improvements.

Website testing: We regularly check our websites for accessibility issues.
Testing process: We conduct internal audits and external reviews as part of our redevelopment.
Next review date: 30 June 2025 or earlier if significant improvements are made.