Questions about accessibility? We've heard a few... Frequently Asked Questions General 01 Do I really have to try to make adjustments like this? Yes.Since 2010, when the Equalities Act came into force, it's been a duty to make service provision as accessible as possible.This doesn't mean anything you do has to be difficult. Most accessibility is very easy to achieve. Improvements can be made at no cost at all, or very low cost, perhaps by adjusting how your services are provided.See also Question 4. 02 Just for someone in a wheelchair?! No - it can cover much more than that!Alterations made for disabled people benefit everybody. Those with physical and/or sensory impairments, assistance dog users, people accompanied by carers, families with children (including pushchairs!), neurodivergent people; we could go on. Basically anyone who may come into your building or use your service.This includes:mobility scooterswalking aidswater bowls for assistance dogshearing loopssignage that's clear, with good colour contrast and at the right heightAccessibility means everyone, the able-bodied included. 03 We're in a really old or listed building - how much can we do? It's much harder to alter a listed or older building, and of course there will be instances where things simply cannot change.Putting that out there is a huge help in itself. Provide an access statement* on your own website, informing people where they can and cannot access before they visit. They can then make provisions before they come, or ask for something specific - with plenty of notice!But a lot of adjustments are small, not costly, and easy to apply. We're here to guide you on that. Check out our downloadable items, browse our website for ideas, or book a free survey for a detailed report on your building and what you can do to make it accessible.*An access statement tells visitors about the physical layout and services of your place. It helps disabled visitors decide if your building meets their needs. See our downloadable resources for a template statement. 04 How do I know if someone is asking for a REASONABLE adjustment? There are several factors that decide whether something is reasonable. But overall, it depends on whether the organisation is physically capable of providing the service in a certain way, or whether an environment can be adjusted in the way that's being requested.Factors include:- Cost vs benefit- The extent to which it is practical for the service provider to take measures- Whether the adjustment is temporary- How much disruption will be caused, and for how long- Whether planning permission is needed- The amount of resources already spent on making adjustments 05 My building doesn't cater for dogs. Why do I need to provide water bowls? Guide dogs or assistance dogs still need water! 06 One of my staff members is disabled. What are some things I can put in place for them at work? This will vary depending on the person, their condition(s) and the work environment. The best thing to do is ask them. If your company has a probationary or trial period when recruiting, use this time to make sure you work with your new employee and make sure they are comfortable. 07 What is the Social Model? It's a way of thinking about how disability and society work together - or how they don't. North Wales Access Panel members believe that a disabled person's impairments don't necessarily create a disability to do something - it's how society reacts or is maladapted to those impairments. For more information please click here:

If you've visited - or tried to visit - a building or area that was difficult to use or get to, let us know here. We will add that place to our list of surveys, and start the process as soon as we can Nominating a Building If you've visited somewhere that you feel needs a few changes or updates, let us know here and we'll add that building or service to our surveys list. You can remain anonymous if you wish. Building name Address Please provide the address if you can Have you visited this place? Is your nomination based on an experience here? Notes for our surveyors Please note any areas or aspects of the building you'd like us to check on If you are happy to give us any of your own details, please do so here: First name Last name Phone Email Submit

Our Setup The group was created in early 2025 We started carrying out surveys in July 2025 We are being funded for two years by the Community Cohesion Fund The Panel is made up of several disability organisations and disabled individuals, representing many different impairments and health conditions We are all interested in making North Wales buildings and services easy to use, by everyone who might use them Surveys are carried out in a way that ensures services are accessible by everyone

What is the North Wales Access Panel? The panel represents many types of impairments and health conditions We're working with people with lived experience, and voluntary organisations of and for disabled people More about our Setup We're working to ensure we can all access what we need, whilst raising awareness of disability issues, to make North Wales accessible to everyone We have a small list of buildings we want to survey. If you would like us to add a building to the list, please click here , or to see which surveys have already been completed please click here

Physical disability? Sensory? Or neurological? Whatever the impairment, our mission is to make as many places in North Wales as accessible as possible. Panel Member Log In Our mission as an organisation is to make as many places in North Wales as accessible as we can. That means public places, buildings, and spaces where people socialise, work or access services. We conduct surveys to ascertain what, if anything, could make a building or service more accessible. The surveys look at the building itself, the information available, staff training and much more. For more information on how we work, please explore the menu at the top of the site. You can also click "Search" here, to search the entire site, or click the button below to browse completed surveys Search Completed Surveys ÁjgqÎ|QWERTYqwerty . We use the Social Model of Disability . We use the Social Model of Disability

What is the Social Model? Why is it important? The Social Model of Disability The North Wales Access Panel is committed to working through the Social Model of Disability, which is the understanding that people are disabled by societal, environmental and attitudinal barriers, such as accessible buildings, negative attitudes or rigid systems, rather than by their own impairments or health conditions. Disabled people face barriers that stop them from taking part in society in the same way as non-disabled people can. There are a range of these barriers, for example: A sign that someone with a visual impairment can’t see or read An inaccessible building without wheelchair ramps A webpage with flashing animations that could trigger a seizure Social barriers or attitudinal barriers, like stereotypical beliefs that non-disabled people have about disabled people... Assuming that a disabled person “can’t do” something creates a barrier for that person The medical model, which is traditionally used by many services, suggests that people are disabled because of impairments or conditions that they have. The social model recognises that from a disabled person’s perspective, the problems they face are the barriers they experience in society. Disability isn’t something that exists inside your body or your mind. It’s something that is created by an inaccessible society; the experience of not being able to take part in society because of barriers you face with your impairment. Disability and impairment are not the same thing. An impairment is a functional difficulty someone experiences in their body or mind. If you have a hearing impairment, for example, you might need sounds to be louder for you to hear them, or you may not be able to hear them at all.

Quick, printable signs and checklists that you can use yourself, straight away. Want more information? We're building a catalogue of links to excellent sources, including those who share their experience as disabled people. Resources Downloadables, printables and links to help you BSL available sign Printable sign to show that communication in BSL is available Blue Accessible Toilet sign Printable sign in the correct style and colours to meet current guidelines

Meet our panel members here. We include information about their experience, both professional and personal, and what their own access needs are so you know what to expect when they visit. OUR SURVEYORS Find information on who we are, our backgrounds and relevant experience, and things to know before we visit your building. All our surveyors have received the same training and all surveys include the same questions. Sarah Thomas I have worked with and for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communities of North Wales for over 25 years. I am a proficient BSL signer and am currently training to become an interpreter. In my time working for COS, I have introduced projects that have empowered members of our community to access information that enables them to make informed decisions rather than be reliant on family or professionals to make them. I am a keen traveller (as suggested by my choice of photo) and am looking forward to exploring more destinations over the next few years with Canada and New Zealand in my sights. Nia Harrison I came to advocacy in 2017 after previously working for the local authority as I wanted to help represent people from marignalised communities that were experiencing barriers in day to day life. I have a dynamic disability which affects my mobility; I also experience chronic pain, depression and I am a medical cannabis patient. I am also awaiting assessment for neurodivergence and am a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. I am new to conducting Access Surveys but it has always been something I have wanted to get become involved in, as access barriers are something I experience in my day to day life which often prevent me from living my life the way I want. I have studied BSL up to Level 3 and previously played wheelchair basketball for North Wales. How best to work with me: I describe myself as Disabled, always with a capital D, and am happy for others to refer to me in this way. I use a variety of mobility aids including wheelchairs and therefore require wheelchair access and a disabled toilet wherever possible. Please provide clear information and direction with context as much as possible, I will ask for further clarification where needed; please also give me time to process verbal information, I experience brain fog regularly. Nia Greer I am vision impaired and have been since birth. I am registered as SSI (Severely Sight Impaired) and have useful vision. I am blind in one eye and short sighted in the other. I have worked in the sight loss sector for 12 years both delivering services and now managing services. I encounter accessibility barriers on a daily basis both digital barriers and when visiting venues. I understand the frustrations and challenges but also have a knowledge of adjustments and adaptions that can make our society inclusive for vision impaired people. I was twice part of a larger team to conduct accessibility surveys of National Trust sites but focussed only on VI related barriers. How best to work with me: Here are just a few things that will really help me - All digital communications/documents - size 18, Arial - All paper communication – size 24, Arial - If there are images please describe this as much as possible - Please use colour contrast colour schemes I don’t recognise faces so it is really useful if you introduce yourself when I see you each time Karen Beattie I have been a disabled advocate and campaigner since a road traffic accident in 1995 after which I became a wheelchair user. In 1996 I worked closely with case officers and the Disability Rights Commission providing support to disabled people challenging organisations after experiencing discrimination. After forming the voluntary organisation, Denbighshire Access Group in 1998 and working with council planning officers and national organisations, for many years, we were able to influence and provide guidance and Disability Equality Training to architects, Transport for Wales, businesses large and small including Welsh Government, NHS, Local Authorities, schools, universities and the Voluntary Sector. For 12 years I was the local authority Access and Equality Officer where I implemented a number of policies and documents including their first Strategic Equality Plan, Equality Impact Assessment Procedure, Supplementary Planning Guidance Access for All, Consultation and Engagement procedure and a number of policies and advisory documents. I’d like to think I’ve encouraged positive change by having a voice on a number of committees, partnership boards and stakeholder groups over the last 30 years. I believe in the ethos of ‘Nothing About Us without Us’ and follow the Social Model of Disability. Disability Rights have come a long way but even with legislation there is still more to do to see genuine equality and inclusivity in Government and our communities – so I continue to campaign, educate and challenge for change. Cathy Jackson Previously a Changing Places campaigner whilst leading a charity made to create an accessible play area, Cathy is enthusiastic about making places as accessible as possible for as many people as possible. Drawing on her own sensory needs as well as her awareness of spatial access requirements, she is delighted to be able to work with the Panel. Julian Morgan

Add your building to the list of surveys we're planning to do. If you work in a place you think would benefit from an accessibility check, let us know here Requesting a Survey We'd like a free survey - is our building is as accessible as it can be? Our organisation name is: Our building is here: Which service(s) is (are) provided here? Website, if available This will be very useful for our surveyors before we make contact or carry out a survey The main contact for this survey will be: First name Last name We're happy to get your newsletter, but no spam please Send email to: Phone number Our contact preference is: Email Phone call Text message Other Leave us a note if you wish: For example, how is your building used? Are there any particular areas you would like addressed? Submit

Accessible Wrexham A group of people who want to make Wrexham accessible for all... We're developing an accessibility guide for both the organisations in the borough, and the people who want to visit them

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Website Coming Soon! We're working away in the background, dotting the i's and crossing the t's In the meantime, you can contact us here: info@nwap.online

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