Accessibility Statement

Accessibility Statement for Gardeners New Malden

Gardeners New Malden is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive online experience for all visitors, including disabled people, older users, and anyone using assistive technology. This accessibility statement explains the steps we take to support access needs and how you can contact us with any accessibility requests or feedback.

Our Accessibility Commitment

We aim for our website and online content relating to gardeners in the New Malden area to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines WCAG 2.1 Level AA. These guidelines are recognised internationally as the standard for making digital content more accessible for people with a wide range of disabilities, including visual, hearing, motor, and cognitive impairments.

We are working to ensure that people looking for gardening services in New Malden can find and use our information without barriers, whether they are using a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, mobile phone, or assistive tools such as screen readers and alternative input devices.

Screen Reader and Assistive Technology Support

The site is designed to be compatible with common screen readers and other assistive technologies. We strive to use clear headings, logical page structure, informative text, and meaningful labels so that users relying on assistive tools can understand and navigate information about gardeners in New Malden more easily.

Images used on the site are being reviewed to include alternative text where needed so that users who cannot see images still receive the essential information. We also work to avoid using images of text wherever possible, so that content can be read aloud, resized, or adapted without loss of meaning.

Keyboard Navigation

The website is being developed to support full keyboard navigation. This is important for users who cannot use a mouse or touch screen and instead rely on a keyboard, switch device, or other alternative input method.

Where possible, menus, forms, and interactive elements can be accessed using the keyboard alone. Focus order is designed to follow a logical sequence, and visible focus indicators are used to show which element is currently selected. We continue to review our pages to identify and remove any barriers affecting keyboard-only users searching for gardening information in New Malden.

Readable and Understandable Content

We aim to use plain, straightforward language to describe our gardening services and information for New Malden residents. Content is broken into short paragraphs with clear headings, so that it can be scanned and understood quickly, including by people with cognitive or learning disabilities or those who are new to online browsing.

We also consider colour contrast between text and background and avoid relying only on colour to convey important information. This supports users with low vision or colour blindness.

Ongoing Improvements and Testing

Accessibility is an ongoing process. We regularly review our pages and features to identify issues that could affect users with disabilities. As we add or update content relating to accessible gardeners in New Malden, we test new pages against WCAG 2.1 AA principles, including perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust design.

Some older content may not yet fully meet our accessibility goals, but we are working to update and improve this material over time as part of a continuous accessibility programme.

Requesting Information in an Accessible Format

If any information about Gardeners New Malden is not accessible to you, or if you find any part of the website difficult to use, you can contact us to request assistance or an alternative format. For example, you may ask for information in large print, simplified text, or another format that better suits your needs.

When contacting us about an accessibility issue, please tell us which page or content you were trying to access, what assistive technology or browser you use, and the nature of the problem. This helps us investigate the issue, respond to you, and improve the experience for other users.

Feedback and Contact for Accessibility Requests

We welcome feedback from anyone using our website, especially from disabled people and those using assistive technology in the New Malden area. Your feedback helps us identify accessibility barriers and prioritise improvements.

To make an accessibility request or to share feedback about accessibility, please contact us using the usual contact options provided on this website. We will review your request and aim to respond within a reasonable time, explaining any actions we have taken or plan to take.

Gardeners New Malden is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of ability, can access clear and useful information about gardening services in New Malden and the surrounding areas.