To revitalise access in community buildings for those with sensory impairments, learning disabilities, hard of hearing, and mental health problems in London, City Bridge Trust has announced that grants of up to £5000 in value will be made available for application to charitable organisations in the Greater London area.

Organisations eligible for this grant must be registered in the UK and serve beneficiaries in the Greater London area and be structured as a Registered charity, Registered Community Interest Company, Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation, Charitable company, Exempt or excepted charity, or a Registered charitable industrial and provident society or charitable Bencom.

Access Audits are vitally important procedures as they can identify barriers that may prevent the millions of disabled people currently living in the UK from accessing and benefiting from your building. There are specific laws in place that set the foundations for best practice accessibility, however, identifying the specific issues as well as how to properly manage them in the most low-cost and effective way demands an Audit to take place. The results of an Access Audit could inspire simple adjustments, or if the building in question is truly inaccessible will inspire large-scale structural changes.

In addition, City Bridge Trust’s Access Audit grants can fund design appraisals and disability awareness training. Furthermore, the Trust can consider capital funding of up to £100,000 towards access improvements, subject to certain criteria. Applying for the initial Access Audit can be done here.

Finally, the Access Auditors enlisted upon successful application for this grant must be registered with the National Register of Access Consultants, which Direct Access is. We also have extensive experience in London, working for a diverse range of clients auditing a variety of architecture, including Science Museum, Eurostar at St Pancras International, schools, and local authorities such as the London Borough of Lewisham. If you wish to draw on nearly two decades of expertise in access auditing and the experience of a disability-led organisation, get in touch with us today. We are here to help – because accessibility for us is personal.

Are you looking to make your site accessible to thousands of disabled people? Feel free to contact us and lay out your specific needs so that we can find improvements to suit your needs or budget. Or alternatively, have a look at our Access Consultancy options.