Accessibility Statement

Introduction

The Cystitis & Overactive Bladder (COB) Foundation is committed to making our website accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. We believe that all visitors should be able to access the health information and support services we provide, regardless of ability or the technology they use to browse the web.

This accessibility statement applies to cobfoundation.org.

Compliance Target

We aim to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA. These guidelines explain how to make web content more accessible for people with disabilities and more user-friendly for everyone.

We are continually improving our website and working to meet these standards across all pages and content.

Accessibility Features

We have implemented the following features to support accessibility on our website:

Skip Navigation

A "Skip to main content" link is provided at the top of every page, allowing keyboard users to bypass the navigation menu and jump directly to the page content.

Keyboard Navigation

All interactive elements, including links, buttons, and form fields, can be accessed and operated using a keyboard alone. Visible focus indicators are displayed on all focusable elements.

Colour Contrast

We have designed our colour palette to meet WCAG AA contrast ratio requirements. Text and interactive elements maintain sufficient contrast against their backgrounds in both light and dark modes.

Alternative Text

All meaningful images on our website include descriptive alternative text so that screen reader users can understand the content conveyed by images.

Semantic HTML

Our pages use semantic HTML elements such as headings, landmarks, lists, and navigation regions. This helps assistive technologies understand the structure and purpose of content.

ARIA Labels

Where standard HTML cannot fully convey the purpose of an element, we use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes to provide additional context for assistive technology users.

Dark Mode

Our website supports a dark colour scheme that can be toggled via the theme button in the navigation bar. This can help users who are sensitive to bright light or who prefer a darker interface.

Print-Friendly Pages

Our health articles and condition pages are optimised for printing, with clean single-column layouts and navigation elements removed for readability.

Known Limitations

While we strive for full accessibility, some areas of our website may have limitations:

• Some older content may not yet have fully descriptive alternative text for images. We are reviewing and updating these on an ongoing basis.
• Some PDF documents linked from our site may not be fully accessible. We are working to provide accessible alternatives.
• Third-party content or embedded services (such as analytics scripts) may not meet all accessibility standards.

Reporting Accessibility Issues

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of our website. If you encounter any barriers or have suggestions for improvement, please contact us:

Email: info@cobfoundation.org
Phone: 0121 702 0820
Post: COB Foundation, Kings Court, 17 School Road, Birmingham B28 8JG

We aim to respond to accessibility feedback within 5 working days and to resolve any identified issues as promptly as possible.

Enforcement

If you are not satisfied with our response to your accessibility concern, you can contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS), which provides advice and assistance on discrimination and human rights issues.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the "accessibility regulations"). While the COB Foundation is a charity rather than a public sector body, we voluntarily follow these standards to ensure our information is available to all.

Technical Information

This website is built with Astro and uses semantic HTML5, Tailwind CSS for styling, and follows progressive enhancement principles. JavaScript is used only for interactive features such as search, theme toggling, and the symptom checker.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this accessibility statement, please contact us:

COB Foundation
Kings Court, 17 School Road
Birmingham B28 8JG
Email: info@cobfoundation.org
Phone: 0121 702 0820