Oliver Waterhouse Quaker Life Hello everyone, Sorry for the delay with the notes from last week's meeting. Last week's session was an opportunity to hear about accessibility issues that affect Quaker premises. The session has been directed at venues rather than those with accessibility needs to try to identify ways to be inclusive. The next online session will be on Tuesday, 15 August at 2pm. The joining details are below and will also be shared again by email nearer the time. * Join Zoom Meeting: https://quaker.zoom.us/j/81586087624?pwd=VHk3MW9sTHJUVDdsMFlTMUN3WEpmUT09 * Meeting ID: 815 8608 7624 * Passcode: WT-online The next in-person session is going to be on Tuesday, 18 July and will be in Leeds at Carlton Hill Meeting House. You can register to attend using this online form, https://forms.quaker.org.uk/mhm-23/. Part of this session will be held blended enabling online and in-person participation. PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU REGISTER IN ADVANCE OF COMING IN PERSON SO WE KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE THERE WILL BE! Notes The first part of the session was help in breakout rooms to identify what is currently in place in our meeting houses and what we would like to put into place in the future. Feedback from the breakout groups Current position for those present * Lots of places with step-free access. * High contrast painting or taping on steps where they have not been able to be replaced. * Many accessible toilets but an example of the wheelchair space to one side of the toilet being used as storage space. * Flashing lights linked to alarms for people with hearing impairments. * Hearing loop. * Blended equipment in many Quaker premises. Challenges * Listed buildings, trying not to be held back by planning restrictions. * Meeting room doors not wide enough to meet British standards. Solutions * Alarms not loud enough in toilet so additional sounders added. * Frame put into a restricted toilet space to enable people to get up more easily. * Bringing a disability group or people with disabilities to make suggestions about improvements. * Not giving up at the first hurdle, especially where planning restrictions are in place. * Disability access audit at area meeting level. * Stick a photo of each cupboard (full) and stick it to the cupboard so people know what is in the cupboard. * Whole building is flat on one level and many groups use the building. * Provide a safe haven for lots of groups who feel the building is 'theirs'. * Need to respond to requests for things to be changed, this is great for customer satisfaction and will bring a wider range of people into our premises. * Disability awareness training to get better informed about the types of access needs, attitudes, language etc. * Adjustable surfaces in kitchens and other areas. Think about this at the time refurbishment is being planned, not when it is being installed. * Holistic approach to accessibility which benefit everyone overall rather than having them as add-ons. Support Quaker Disability Equality Group (QDEG) has advice and guidance on their website: * Sample access audit: https://quakerdisabilitygroup.org.uk/sample-basic-access-audit-form/ * Template LM accessibility statement: https://quakerdisabilitygroup.org.uk/sample-access-statement/ Grants There are a couple of places that offer specific grants for upgrading premises to be more accessible or to help with feasibility assessment for carrying out improvement work on buildings. * BYM Meeting Houses Funds: www.quaker.org.uk/our-work/grant-making/meeting-houses-fund<http://www.quaker.org.uk/our-work/grant-making/meeting-houses-fund> * BYM Sawell Family Fund: www.quaker.org.uk/our-work/grant-making/sawell-family-fund-grants-for-meeting-houses<http://www.quaker.org.uk/our-work/grant-making/sawell-family-fund-grants-for...> * National Churches Trust: www.nationalchurchestrust.org/get-support/buildings-maintenance/major-grant-funders<http://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/get-support/buildings-maintenance/major...> * Through the Roof (collection of grant providers) specific grants for accessibility improvements: https://throughtheroof.org/forchurches/obtaining-funding-to-make-disability-... In friendship, Oliver Oliver Waterhouse (he/him) Quaker Life Team Leader, Local and Area Governance Quakers in Britain 020 7663 1007 (Direct) oliverw@quaker.org.uk<mailto:oliverw@quaker.org.uk> | www.quaker.org.uk<http://www.quaker.org.uk/> Follow Quakers in Britain on Twitter<http://twitter.com/BritishQuakers>, Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/BritishQuakers>, YouTube<https://www.youtube.com/quakersinbritain>, and Instagram<https://www.instagram.com/britishquakers/>. CLERKS OF TRUSTEES: Please send TARA documents to supportmeetings@quaker.org.uk<mailto:supportmeetings@quaker.org.uk> All Quakers in Britain staff can be contacted using their usual email addresses or phone numbers. They may be working from home, in Friends House (London), in the Yorkshire Centre (Leeds) or at a base local to them. The Quaker Centre Bookshop and Café<https://www.friendshouse.co.uk/quaker-centre/> (Friends House, London) are open to the public. If you would like to support our work, you can give online at www.quaker.org.uk/donate. Britain Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) Registered charity number 1127633 | Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ ________________________________ Quakers say: Religion is about the whole of life.