Strategic Initiatives

Centre for Accessible Environments

The Trust has awarded a grant of £173,000 over three years to the Centre for Accessible Environments for the post of an Access and Sustainability Officer to provide advice and information to voluntary and community organisations wishing to make their buildings more accessible and sustainable.

We have funded the post in response to frequent enquiries to the Trust regarding such questions as 'what is an access audit?', 'how do we find an access auditor?', 'how do we find and appoint an architect or surveyor?', 'what is liable for VAT?' and 'where can we get disability equality training?'.

An access audit is the first stage in a process which will make a building or facility accessible to as many people as possible. The next step from an access audit is the development and adoption of an access action plan. This will take a long-term view of how the recommendations of the audit can be instigated, taking account of funding availability and planned future mainitenance and other building works.

The post holder, Wai-Mei Chan, can deal with all enquiries regarding improving access to your community facilities, either directly or by signposting you in the right direction.

Contact details:
Wai-Mei Chan
Telephone: 020 7840 0125
Email: wai-mei.chan@cae.org.uk
Website: www.cae.org.uk

Further reading
Click here to view Access and Sustainability Advisory Service. This article by Jenny Field, Principal Grants Officer at The City Bridge Trust, originally appeared in the Spring 2006 issue of Access by Design, the journal of the Centre for Accessible Environments.