Step inside and you’ll be greeted by breath taking ceiling paintings, gilded carvings, and light streaming through magnificent painted and stained-glass windows.
But behind its beauty, there’s a warm and welcoming community too. The church hosts regular Anglican services, concerts, and cultural events, drawing more than 30,000 visitors each year from across the UK and beyond.
Why We Joined the Accessibility Programme
With thousands of visitors every year, we wanted to make sure everyone no matter their abilities could enjoy our beautiful church and surrounding grounds in comfort and safety.
The Accessibility Programme gave us the perfect opportunity to review what we were doing well, where we could improve, and how to make every visitor’s experience as inclusive as possible.
Discovering Our Strengths and Weaknesses
Taking part in the programme was a real eye-opener. It helped us clearly see both our strengths and the areas where accessibility could be improved. From simple signage changes to major physical upgrades, we learned that accessibility isn’t just about ramps it’s about removing barriers of every kind.
The Improvements We’ve Made
Since joining the Accessibility Programme, we’ve made several important changes to make Great Witley more inclusive:
- Smooth and Safe Access: The road linking the church, tearooms, and Witley Court has been tarmacked, making it safer for wheelchair and mobility scooter users.
- Better Ramps: We’ve introduced new ramps designed to accommodate wider wheelchairs and scooters.
- Inclusive Information: Church information sheets are now printed on green paper, making them easier for visitors with dyslexia to read.
- Enhanced Hearing Support: A hearing loop has been installed at the tearooms’ cash desk.
Improved Facilities: A new alarm cord has been fitted in the disabled toilet, and an accessible path now leads to the tearoom conservatory.
Path before accessibility improvements.
The Difference It’s Made
"We’ve noticed a real increase in visits from wheelchair and mobility scooter users, as well as families with pushchairs. The improvements have been warmly received many visitors have commented on how much easier and more enjoyable their visit has become, especially thanks to the smoother paths and clearer information sheets."
Our Advice to Other Businesses
Accessibility doesn’t have to be daunting. Do everything you can even small changes can make a world of difference. Something as simple as changing the colour of your printed materials or improving signage can transform a visitor’s experience.
Looking Ahead
Our work isn’t finished. Over the coming months, we plan to:
- Create more space at the rear of the church for merchandise and children’s areas, complete with built-in ramps.
- Introduce a wheelchair-friendly garden walk around the tearooms.
- Add clearly marked accessible parking spaces closer to the tearooms.
- Install improved floodlighting on the approach to the church for winter events.
- Review and refresh all visitor signage to ensure clarity and consistency.
A Final Thought
"Everyone deserves to enjoy the beauty and history of places like Great Witley without feeling like they’re an inconvenience. The Accessible Tourism Programme helped us see our space through fresh eyes and take practical steps forward."
Remember accessibility is a journey, not a one-time project. Every improvement, big or small, helps open your doors to more people and more smiles.