Client: Diocese of Bristol
Location: Bristol, South West England
Project date: January 2026
Training: Bespoke training in inclusive design, accessibility and heritage-sensitive decision-making.
Trainer: CAE Access Consultant Vin Goodwin
The client
The Diocese of Bristol is a non-profit religious organisation run by the Church of England, that coordinates churches and faith-based activities across Bristol, south Gloucestershire, north Wiltshire and Swindon. It aims to support communities and deliver social impact through local parishes, schools and partnerships.
CAE devised a bespoke training programme for the Diocese team which supports parishes and church buildings with access, inclusion and improvement projects.
As the training participants are working in built environments that combine community use, heritage considerations and practical building constraints, they wanted training that would help them understand inclusive design in a way that was both technically robust and relevant to ecclesiastical settings.
The need
The two-day training programme was designed to help the Diocese of Bristol’s team build confidence in delivering built environment inclusive design.
The programme was shaped to support the trainees with their work in advising others on accessibility improvements, interpreting audit findings and helping others navigate the balance between inclusion, usability and conservation.
It combined legal and technical insights for creating accessible, inclusive places, with a focus on applying these principles in historic settings. This was a vital aspect of the training as it can be particularly complex for organisations supporting projects in historic settings to balance accessibility and conservation.
The training was designed to help participants build a stronger understanding of inclusive design, gain confidence in applying statutory and best-practice guidance, and develop practical approaches to identifying and addressing access barriers.
Its aim was to equip attendees with the skills to turn inclusive design principles into practical action and create more inclusive spaces for staff and visitors.
CAE’s bespoke training covered:
- Accessibility awareness and the principles of inclusive design
- Models of disability and how they shape design decisions
- User experience in the built environment
- The Equality Act 2010, reasonable adjustments and the responsibilities of service providers
- Key guidance and standards, including BS 8300, Approved Document M and PAS 6463
- Inclusive design in historic and listed buildings, including access, conservation and statutory requirements
- The role of access audits, with interactive workshops and a practice audit
The results
Feedback from participants highlighted the training’s strong balance of insight, relevance and practical application. Course attendees particularly valued the clarity of the guidance, the use of real-life case studies and the opportunity to apply learning to their own projects.
Neil Buckland, Senior Church Buildings Officer, attended the training and said: “The quality of the training was very good and relevant to our involvement as to how we can further support parishes in their access and inclusion projects.”
“CAE bespoke training would be recommended for the insight provided on principles, legislation, regulations, other design guidance and reviewing case studies on accessibility and inclusivity projects to historic buildings and environments.”
The training has helped participants build confidence in identifying barriers, finding relevant guidance and taking a more practical approach to accessibility and inclusion.
It is also informing conversations with parishes and shaping the development of self-assessment resources for accessibility audits, supporting teams to move from knowledge to action in real project settings.
Mr. Buckland added: “The impact of the training has been that we are already using the knowledge gained in our conversations with parishes regarding how to deal with inclusion and access barriers in ecclesiastical buildings and settings.”
If you’d like to arrange bespoke training for your organisation, please contact us on training@cae.org.uk.
Image: a historic stone building with a level paved entrance and doorway threshold.