Osterley Gardening Accessibility Commitment

We at Gardening Osterley are committed to making our local gardening information and services accessible to everyone. This accessibility statement explains how our Osterley gardening pages aim to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards and what we do to support people with differing needs. Our goal is to ensure that content about garden maintenance, planting and community green spaces in Osterley is perceivable, operable, understandable and robust.

To achieve this we follow recognised accessibility techniques and provide features that assist assistive technologies. We use semantic HTML, landmarks and clear heading structures so screen readers can present Gardening in Osterley content effectively. Our pages include descriptive alternative text, meaningful link text and structured lists to support navigation for users relying on screen-reader technology.

Keyboard navigation is a priority: all interactive elements used for Osterley garden services are reachable and operable via keyboard alone. Focus order is logical and visible; skip links and focus indicators are provided. We test tabbing through menus, forms and interactive maps to ensure efficient movement between controls for people who cannot use a mouse. Common accessibility features include:

• Compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA success criteria where feasible
• Screen-reader support through semantic markup and ARIA where necessary
• Full keyboard operability for navigation and interactive gardening tools

How we meet accessibility standards

Our approach to accessible Osterley garden information includes routine testing, both automated and manual, and involvement of users with lived experience. We use accessibility checkers, keyboard-only audits, and screen-reader tests (NVDA, VoiceOver) to validate our pages. We also maintain clear visual contrast for readability and provide resizable text and responsive layouts so guides and resources are usable on different devices.

We employ clear language practices and break complex topics into digestible sections so people can understand advice about planting schedules, seasonal care and sustainable gardening techniques. Where technical terms are necessary we provide short explanations to support understanding.

Known limitations and planned improvements are recorded and prioritised. Some older documents and legacy attachments related to Osterley garden projects may not yet meet WCAG 2.1 AA. We are actively converting those resources into accessible formats. If you encounter a barrier, we will work with you to provide the content in an alternative format such as large print, plain text, audio or other accessible versions.

To request an alternative format or to report an accessibility issue, please contact our accessibility team using the contact channels provided elsewhere on our communications. We will acknowledge receipt of accessibility requests promptly and aim to provide a suitable alternative within a reasonable timeframe. Response commitments include acknowledging requests within 3 working days and keeping requesters informed about progress.

We continually improve accessibility across our Osterley gardening services. Routine monitoring and training for content creators ensure new pages follow accessibility best practices. We welcome reports about issues and suggestions for improvement. Please tell us about any difficulty you experienced and the specific page or feature affected so we can respond effectively. Your input helps make gardening resources in Osterley more inclusive for everyone.