Launch of national disability campaign

A major campaign to make church activities accessible to people with disabilities was launched yesterday, on the first day of the Christian Resources exhibition in Esher, Surrey. The Churches for All campaign has been organised by the CRE, with a coalition of churches and charities from many denominations. Sir David Alton is one of the founding members. Paul Dicken, director of the charity Through the Roof, said: "Up to nine million people in the UK have disabilities. Many churches have given little thought to enabling them to take a full part in their meetings, services and social life. Churches For All is about inclusivity and empowerment. If we are to serve the community then we need to understand the needs of people with disabilities. This means easy access an greater levels of education." The campaign focuses on three areas: Access standards - for people with limited mobility, blind and partially sighted, deaf or hard of hearing and those with learning disabilities. The Good Practice Guide - a resource that will be made available to churches that want to improve their facilities for disabled people. A policy statement - all churches will be urged to adopt a statement setting out a commitment to being inclusive. They will also be asked to appoint a named person to be responsible for implementing the policy. For more information about the campaign visit the CRE website on: www.crexhib.co.uk