The National Trust has a strong and on-going commitment to accessibility in all areas of its work.
We strive to achieve this in many ways:
- improving access to and around our properties
- making it easy for people of all abilities to join our staff or volunteer teams
- allowing everyone access to our information and interpretation
Our website gives people another way of accessing the National Trust, and its wealth of properties and information, but its usefulness depends upon its accessibility.
Our website has been designed with guidance from XM London and MSM.
Although it is impossible to create a website that is accessible to absolutely everyone, there is always more that can be done to make it accessible. Usability testing of this website is done on a regular basis to gain a clearer and deeper understanding of the needs and expectations of disabled people in using websites, and to make improvements based on their recommendations.
Some Flash games may not be fully accessible, but these are discreet, optional parts of the site and leaving them in their current state will not adversely detract from the enjoyment of the site or the information available.
Improving your experience of our website
You can change the text size on our website if you’re having trouble reading it. This is how to change the text size in recent versions of the three major browsers:
- Microsoft Internet Explorer users: select 'View', then 'Text size', then select desired size.
- Netscape and Firefox users: select 'View', then 'Text zoom’ then select desired size. Text size (100%) is the default original text size.
If you’re a Windows user with a scroll-wheel mouse, you can use ‘Ctrl’ and the scroll-wheel to increase text size. If you use another browser, look at its help section for tips on increasing text size.
If you do not use a mouse, you can use this website with your keyboard instead. If you use Windows, press Ctrl + tab key, then use the tab key to move to the link you want. For other operating systems, check the BBC’s My Web My Way pages for tips on using your keyboard to navigate websites.
We have added text descriptions (as ALT text) to all images, describing their content so that everyone can access them.
To get tips on how to change your computer to make the web more accessible to you, visit the BBC’s My Web My Way pages.
Accessibility of our properties
Our Access for All page both explains our commitment to increasing accessibility and shows the activity at national, regional and property level that ensures this work remains a priority. It also details our admission policies and the ‘Admit One’ card for companions of disabled people to use, the links pass for groups and the ‘Access Guide’, our publication which contains detailed information about accessibility at pay-for-entry properties.
If you would like to order a copy of this book please quote ref no 7330908 for standard print or 7331708 for large print. The guide is also available on tape. Please contact the Access office on accessforall@nationaltrust.org.uk
Each property has detailed information about accessibility. This is found by clicking on the link for ‘Accessibility’ on the left-hand menu. Please see the example below, which shows Stourhead's accessibility page in the left-hand menu.
We are currently adding information about accessing our coast and countryside to the website, with individual pages on the many green spaces the National Trust cares for. You will be able to find out where to go, how to get there and what you can see or do at each site. There will be accessibility information about facilities, parking, seating, path gradients, surfaces and sensory highlights, to help people plan their visits to our great outdoors.
Contacting us
If you have had difficulties using this website, or have ideas on how we can make it better, please let us know.
Email:
internet@nationaltrust.org.uk
Telephone:
01793 817400
Write to:
The Web Team
The National Trust
Heelis
Kemble Drive
Swindon
SN2 2NA
Updated November 2007
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