Global Accessibility Awareness Day

Global Accessibility Awareness Day

Imagine this — you’re late for a meeting, but the nearest bus stop is a 10-minute walk away from the meeting point. You arrive at the building and can’t find the entrance because the door is the same colour as the external windows. When you finally reach reception, you’re told to “follow the signs that way”… despite having explained that you are vision impaired.

It’s fair to say this would be a stressful experience — but it’s also avoidable. There are simple steps you can take or consider to ensure that your service is accessible and welcoming to people living with a vision impairment.

Top Tips to Make Your Venue More Accessible

1. Choose a venue close to public transport
   Where possible, select a location with nearby public transport links and provide clear, detailed instructions — including stop names and which services to use.

2. Make external street furniture visible
   Ensure that external street furniture such as bollards are easy to see in all lighting conditions.

3. Use contrasting colours for external doors
   Make entrances stand out by using colours that contrast with the rest of the building.

4. Ensure signage is clear and legible
   Use large, bold text with high contrast (e.g., black on yellow or white backgrounds) for all internal and external signage.

5. Provide vision impairment awareness training
   Equip your team — especially those in client/customer-facing roles — with the knowledge and confidence to offer a better experience to people living with a vision impairment.

These may sound like small adjustments, but they can make a huge positive impact — making venues accessible will bring us all closer to a truly inclusive society.

Want to know more about how to make your venue more accessible? Want to know more about available training? Get in touch at 01244 381515 or email information@visionsupport.org.uk 

Further Resources:

• Link to Vision Support Resource Hub
  Explore a range of resources and information leaflets tailored for individuals with vision impairments.

• Link to Disabled Access Day Blog: Making Spaces Inclusive
  Discover more tips and insights on creating inclusive environments, this could help make your venue more accessible.

• Link to Web Accessibility Guidelines (W3C)
  Understand the standards for making web content more accessible to people with disabilities.

Let’s work together to make accessibility a priority every day!