Accessibility and Inclusion
at Haxby and Wigginton Methodist Church

At Haxby and Wigginton Methodist Church (HWMC) we endeavour to make sure that our church provides equal access and opportunity to people with diverse abilities, needs and backgrounds. Here is an overview of the accessibility features we have in place.

 

Parking

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There is ample free and unrestricted parking in the church car park to the rear of the building with a number of bays reserved for Blue Badge holders.

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Entrances and Exits

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There are two major entrances to the church building:

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• The front porch faces, but is set back from, the main road through Haxby — The Village — and leads into the main Sanctuary. During church services there will always be a colleague at the front porch to help with any issues.
   

• The side entrance is on the right-hand side of our building as you are facing it from the road and leads into The Hub: an area leading onward to the Sanctuary, offices, back hall and upper floor.

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Each of these two entrances has an access ramp with handrail and an automatic door leading into the building. The surface inside these entrance doors is level and is always kept clear and readily accessible. Within the building, each floor has level access throughout.

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We also have two additional entrances at the back of the building, each with an access ramp and handrail. However, these doors are not automatic but manually operated.

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Facilities

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• An accessible lift provides movement between the two floors of the church building as an alternative to the stairs.
   

• There are two accessible toilets: one on each floor.
   

• A public address system is used for all services and the church is fitted with an induction loop system for the benefit of hearing aid users.
   

• Large-print hymn books are available.
   

• We bring Holy Communion to anyone who may prefer this because of mobility issues. Please let one of the stewarding team know if this would be useful to you.
   

• We provide a quiet room—the River Room—for anyone who needs it. Just off The Hub, it’s a place you can use if you need some time out. We know that sometimes people can feel overwhelmed in busy environments with noise or many people, or might be upset and need a little time to recover. With a selection of books, Bibles, drawing materials, ‘fiddle toys’ and more, this is a space you can use to find peace and calm.

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Feedback

If you have any questions regarding the accessibility of our building, please contact us by emailing our office, enquiries@hwmc.org.uk

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We are always looking to improve the accessibility of our building. If you find any problems, or think we might not be meeting accessibility requirements, please let us know so we can investigate and remedy any issues.