Accessibility statement

Acorns Children’s Hospice is committed to making our website accessible and inclusive for as many people as possible.

We want everyone who visits our website to be able to find information, access support, make a donation, register for events, read our stories and engage with our work in a way that works for them.

This statement explains how we are working to improve the accessibility of our website, including the tools we provide, the standards we are working towards, known limitations and how visitors can contact us if they need support.

This statement applies to the Acorns Children’s Hospice website at www.acorns.org.uk.

Our accessibility aim

We are working to make our website as accessible as possible and aim to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard.

We know that some parts of our website may not yet fully meet this standard. We are reviewing and improving these areas as part of our ongoing website development.

Measures to support accessibility

We are taking steps to improve accessibility across our website by:

  • considering accessibility when creating and updating website content
  • reviewing key website pages and user journeys
  • improving the structure, readability and usability of website content
  • using the Recite Me toolbar to provide additional accessibility and language support
  • working with suppliers and third-party platforms where accessibility issues are identified
  • using feedback from website visitors to help prioritise improvements

How accessible this website is

We want visitors to be able to:

  • use the website on desktop, tablet and mobile devices
  • navigate the website using a keyboard
  • zoom in without text or content becoming difficult to read
  • use screen reader software to access content
  • understand page headings, links, buttons and forms
  • read content with sufficient colour contrast
  • access key information in a clear and consistent way
  • understand meaningful images through appropriate alternative text
  • complete key actions, such as making a donation, registering for an event or contacting us, as easily as possible

We are continuing to review the website and prioritise improvements based on user need, impact and technical feasibility.

Recite Me accessibility and translation toolbar

We use the Recite Me toolbar to give visitors additional ways to access and personalise content on our website.

The toolbar includes features such as:

  • text-to-speech
  • reading support
  • styling and colour adjustments
  • text size and spacing tools
  • translation into different languages
  • text-only viewing options
  • the ability to download page text as an audio file

The Recite Me toolbar is designed to support visitors with a range of access needs, including people with visual impairments, learning differences, literacy needs, neurodivergent users and people who prefer to read content in another language. You can find out more about how to use the Reciteme Accessibility Toolbar by clicking here.

However, we recognise that an accessibility toolbar does not replace the need for the website itself to be designed, written and developed accessibly. We continue to work on the accessibility of the website alongside the use of Recite Me.

Translation disclaimer

The Recite Me toolbar includes an automated translation feature to help visitors read website content in different languages.

These translations are provided to support access to information. However, they are generated automatically and may not always fully reflect the meaning, tone, context or accuracy of the original English content.

The English version of our website should be treated as the official version.

Some of our website content relates to care, support, donations, events and family services. Because this information may be important, we recommend contacting us directly if you are unsure about any translated information or need clarification before making a decision based on translated content.

If you need information in another language or format, please contact us and we will do our best to help.

Known accessibility limitations

We are aware that some areas of the website may not yet meet the accessibility standard we are working towards.

These may include:

  • some older pages created before our current accessibility approach
  • some PDF documents and downloadable files
  • some embedded content, such as videos, maps or third-party tools
  • some forms, donation journeys or event registration journeys provided through third-party platforms
  • some images that may need improved alternative text, including older images or images added before our current accessibility approach
  • some pages where heading structure or link text could be improved
  • some videos that may not yet include captions, transcripts or audio description

We are reviewing these areas and will prioritise improvements based on user need, impact and technical feasibility.

Third-party platforms and content

Some parts of our website journey may link to or use third-party services. This may include donation platforms, event registration tools, fundraising platforms, video players, maps, forms or embedded content.

We aim to choose suppliers and platforms that support accessibility. However, we do not have full control over the accessibility of every third-party platform.

Where we identify accessibility issues with third-party services, we will raise them with the relevant provider and look for reasonable ways to improve the experience for our users.

If you experience an accessibility issue with a donation, fundraising, event registration or other third-party journey linked from our website, please contact us so we can look into the issue and help where possible.

Technical information about this website’s accessibility

Acorns Children’s Hospice is committed to improving the accessibility of its website in line with recognised accessibility standards and good practice.

The accessibility of this website relies on the following technologies working with your web browser and any assistive technologies or plugins installed on your device:

  • HTML
  • CSS
  • JavaScript

We aim to ensure that these technologies are used in a way that supports accessibility and usability.

Feedback and alternative formats

If you find any part of our website difficult to use, or if you need information in a different format, please contact us.

Email: donorexperience@acorns.org.uk
Phone: 01564 825037

Please tell us:

  • the page or information you were trying to access
  • what issue you experienced
  • what format or support would work better for you

We will aim to respond within 5 working days.

This statement relates to the accessibility of our website. If you need website information, campaign materials or other Acorns information in a different format, such as plain text, large print or another accessible format, please contact us and we will do our best to help.

If you are unable to complete an important action online, such as making a donation, registering for an event or submitting a form, please contact us so we can try to support you in another way.

How we are improving accessibility

We are working to improve accessibility across our website by:

  • reviewing new website pages against accessibility best practice
  • improving page structure, headings, links and buttons
  • checking colour contrast and readability
  • improving form usability
  • reviewing PDFs and downloadable documents
  • adding clearer alternative text to meaningful images
  • reviewing captions, transcripts and accessibility support for video content
  • testing key user journeys, such as donations, event registrations and contact forms
  • using feedback from website visitors to prioritise improvements

Accessibility is an ongoing process, and we will continue to review and improve the website over time.

Preparation and review of this statement

This statement was prepared on 09/06/2026.

It was last reviewed on 09/06/2026.

We aim to review this statement at least once a year, or sooner if we make significant changes to the website.