Equality and Inclusion Statement
Friends of St Mary's, Mendlesham is committed to making our events welcoming, respectful and inclusive.
We want everyone who attends, volunteers at, or supports our events to feel valued, safe and treated with dignity.
What this means
For us, being welcoming and inclusive means:
- Treating people fairly and with respect
- Thinking about accessibility and different needs when planning events
- Considering whether our events might unintentionally exclude anyone
- Listening to feedback and learning from experience
- Creating an environment where people feel they belong
Our commitment
We support the principles of the Equality Act 2010. We will not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
We also recognise that people may face practical barriers — such as cost, mobility, rural location, caring responsibilities, or confidence — that are not always covered by law. We aim to be thoughtful and fair in how we plan and run our events.
Accessibility
We encourage guests to tell us about accessibility needs, dietary requirements, or anything else that would help them attend comfortably.
We will consider reasonable adjustments where possible. Some of our venues are historic community buildings and may have practical limits. Where we cannot meet every request, we aim to be open about this and discuss alternatives.
Behaviour
Everyone attending or helping at our events is expected to treat others with dignity and respect. Discrimination, harassment, bullying, intimidation or abusive behaviour will not be accepted.
We reserve the right to ask someone to leave an event if their behaviour is inappropriate or harmful to others.
Volunteers
Our volunteers are central to our charity. We aim to make volunteering welcoming, positive and inclusive. We value different forms of contribution and want people to feel supported according to their skills, confidence and availability.
Contact
If you have a question or concern about inclusion or accessibility, please contact us via our Legal Information page or speak to a committee member.
