Access

We believe that literature should be accessible to everyone. Working towards making that the case is critical to the delivery of our mission.

Our approach to accessibility

Our vision is a world in which literature is accessible to everyone.

On this page we explain our approach to accessibility. This is the overarching policy that informs how we work. On this page you can:

  • find out about how we strive to make our events and programmes accessible
  • find contact details for our access coordinator

For access information for a particular event or programme, please consult the page for that event or programme.

Get in touch

If you would like to find out more about access in relation to a particular activity, have any questions that are not answered here, or spot something you think is missing from our approach to access, please email Ruth: [email protected]. If you would prefer to speak on the phone, please call us on a Tuesday or Wednesday when we are in the office. The number is 020 8692 0231, extension 249.

An audience look at a screen showing a black man using sign language, he is bald but has a beard and he is wearing a white t shirt

Our Access Policy

We believe in, and follow, the social model of disability. This means  we believe that people with impairments are ‘disabled’ by the barriers operating in society that exclude and discriminate against them. It is therefore our duty to remove as many barriers as we can and to create equity wherever possible. 

We have created a set of rules to follow to make sure that the activities we offer are as accessible as possible. We welcome feedback on areas we may have missed or could improve on.

As a rule, we run a mixture of online and in-person events, work with partners and different local venues. This means access information differs across our events and programmes. Every event listing on our website has a section which details accessibility as it applies to that event. At the start of every programme we ask participants to complete an access form so that we can make sure everyone is able to fully take part.

Some of the access measures we put in place include:

  • If you need BSL and are attending an event, look out for the BSL icon on the event page. All access information is listed on the left hand side. If BSL interpreters have been booked, you will see the BSL icon on the event listing. If BSL interpretation is not listed but you would like to attend, please get in touch with us. We need three weeks notice to give the interpreters enough time for pre-event preparation, but are very happy to arrange BSL interpretation for you.

    If you are taking part in a programme, we will send out a form with questions about access needs before the programme starts. We will arrange BSL interpretation for the programme if any attendees need it.

    In all instances, London Writers Centre will cover the cost.

  • Auto captioning is in place for online events and workshops as standard.

  • All of the events we run are relaxed events. This means that you are welcome to take breaks at any point, to leave the room (for in-person events) or turn your camera off (for online events). We always programme breaks into our online events.

  • When there are required reading materials for an event or programme, we send required reading out one week in advance. We can also create handouts in specific formats as needed, please let us know.

  • Our online workshops and events take place on Zoom.

    Zoom accessibility information can be found here: https://zoom.us/accessibility/faq#faq1

  • All venues in which we run our workshops and events are fully accessible and close to accessible transport links.

    We put a link to venue access information in our event listings, so you can easily find the detail you need. If you have any questions about venue accessibility, we recommend contacting the box office or reception of the venue. They will always have the most detailed information, but we are also happy to help however we can.

  • All disabled writers are entitled to bring a carer with them to our events (at no additional cost). When booking tickets to our events, you can add a free carers ticket to your basket. We reserve the right to ask for identification for carers attending events for free.

  • Video and audio submissions are welcome for all our prizes, competitions and job opportunities. Applicants are invited to let us know about any access needs. Please get in touch using the contact details on this page if you want to discuss our application processes.

  • Bursaries and access funds are available for many of our programmes. If you feel you cannot put yourself forward for any reason, but require financial support to take part, please get in touch to let us know. We can find a solution together.

  • We use alt-text and image descriptions on our website and social media.

    However, we have a huge back catalogue of resources and creative writing in our library. Archive materials may not yet have alt-text attached to them. This is a shortcoming that we are working to fit, but it will take some time.

  • Subtitles and transcripts are available for our video and audio content.

  • Our website has been designed and developed to meet WCAG 2.2 AA standards.

    If you run into any barriers, please email us at [email protected].

    You should be able to:

    • change colours, contrast levels and fonts using your browser accessibility extensions
    • zoom in up to 300% without the text spilling off the screen
    • navigate most of the website using just a keyboard
    • navigate most of the website using speech recognition software
    • listen to most of the website using a screen reader (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver)

    We have also made the website text as simple as possible to understand.

    AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.

    Areas where the website may not meet WCAG 2.2 AA standards concern our older legacy content – with nearly 10 years of content in the site, some older Library, Project and News articles may not have full alt text or H tag settings applied. This is something we are working to address over time, and welcome user feedback on areas that require our attention.

  • Learn more about the Social Model of Disability on Inclusion London’s website.

  • By deaf and/ or disabled we mean people who have faced disablist and/ or audist barriers. This includes: Deaf, deaf and hard-of-hearing people, blind and visually impaired people, people with mobility impairments, chronic illnesses, mental health conditions or experience of mental distress, and/ or learning disabilities, neurodivergent people, and people living with chronic health conditions or impairments.

We value your feedback

We know we may not have covered all aspects of disability in the policy, nor do we have all the answers as to what different people need.

We will regularly review our access policy to ensure we are responding to the needs of our audiences and feedback we receive. We’d love to hear about your experience and what we can improve to make it better.

Contact us

Useful Links

Social Media

Support Us

Help London Writers Centre continue to develop and support writers.

Donate

Keep Updated

Be the first to find out about our news, opportunities, events and jobs for writers and readers.

Sign-up To Our Newsletter

© 2026 Spread the Word trading as London Writers Centre, registered charity no. 1088890. A Company Limited by Guarantee, registered in England no. 03541037.

Site by Splitpixel