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Accessibility Statement

The High Backs is committed to making both our website and our community garden site in Burnhill, Rutherglen, as accessible and welcoming as possible. We want everyone in the community - regardless of disability, mobility, sensory need, or neurodivergency to be able to engage with us and feel part of what we are building here.

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This statement covers the accessibility of this website and the accessibility of our physical site. We have tried to be honest about where we are now and where we need to do more work.

This statement was first published in April 2026. We will review and update it as the website and physical site develop. We welcome feedback - if you feel this statement is inaccurate or incomplete, please let us know.

Website accessibility

This website is built using Wix. Wix builds websites to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA as standard, which means the underlying platform includes a range of built-in accessibility features.

In building this website, we have also taken the following steps:

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  • All images include descriptive alternative text (alt text) so that screen reader users understand what each image shows.

  • Page headings follow a clear, logical structure to help people navigate using assistive technology.

  • We have aimed for clear, readable fonts and sufficient colour contrast throughout.

  • No content on this site relies on colour alone to convey meaning.

  • We have avoided using auto-playing media.

  • We do not use PDFs or embedded third-party content, which can present barriers for some assistive technologies.

  • We have written content in plain, clear language throughout.

Known limitations

We are a small community charity and this is our first website. We have not yet carried out a full independent accessibility audit, and some interactive tools - including our events sign-up and newsletter subscription - have not yet been fully tested with assistive technology. We are working towards a fuller audit and will update this statement as the site develops.

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If you experience any difficulty using this website, or if content is not accessible to you in the way it is currently presented, please contact us and we will do our best to provide the information in an alternative format.

Physical site accessibility

The High Backs is a community green space accessed from Penman Avenue, Burnhill, Rutherglen. We want to be transparent about the current accessibility of our site so that people can plan their visit and get in touch with us in advance if they have any specific needs.

Getting to the site

The entrance to The High Backs from Penman Avenue is at ground level, with a sloping, tarmacked path leading up into the site. There is a dropped kerb at the site entrance and slightly further down on Penman Avenue giving level access from the road to the pavement and then into the site. Please note that parked cars occasionally block both dropped kerbs.

Moving around the site

Once through the second set of gates there are no formal tarmac or paved pathways around the main site. The ground surface across much of the growing area and open space is grass, which is kept short, and rubber matting embedded in the ground at the entrance helps create a more stable surface underfoot. Ground conditions across the wider site may vary with the weather and can be slightly uneven in places.

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Pushchairs and prams have accessed the full site at our events, and some visitors using motorised wheelchairs have been able to access the front area of the site and a good amount of the rest of the outdoor areas.

Current limitations

  • The community cabins, including the coffee cabin, are not currently wheelchair accessible.

  • The toilet facility on site is not wheelchair accessible.

  • There are no formal pathways around the majority of the site and ground conditions can be variable.

Sensory and neurodivergent access

  • We know that outdoor green spaces can be genuinely helpful for people with sensory sensitivities and neurodivergency, and we want The High Backs to be that kind of place.

  • The Space is a page on our website that walks you through what to expect when you visit - including a site map - so that you can familiarise yourself with the space before you arrive.

  • Our main events a few times a year can be lively and are sometimes accompanied by music or larger crowds. If you are thinking about visiting an event and want to know more about what it will be like, please contact us in advance - we are happy to give you a realistic picture and to think about whether there is anything we can do to make your visit more comfortable.

We want to improve

We know there is more to do. Improving the accessibility of our site - for all kinds of access needs - is something we are actively thinking about as The High Backs develops. If you have a specific access need and you are thinking about visiting, please contact us before you come. We will do what we can to help and we genuinely want you to be here.

Contact us about accessibility

If you have an accessibility question, need something in a different format, want to tell us about a barrier you have experienced, or want to discuss visiting the site, please get in touch using the contact form on our website.

We aim to respond within five working days.

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