BRAILLE CHESS ASSOCIATION

Registered Charity No. 263049

Equality and Diversity Policy

Aim

The aim of the Braille Chess Association is to encourage and support the playing of chess at all levels by blind and partially sighted people.

Diversity

Our Association welcomes all VI chess players and their family and friends.

Membership is open to blind and partially sighted people while sighted friends and family may join as associate members.

We aim to treat every member equally, regardless of their age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief.

Accessibility

We provide information in a variety of formats such as Braille, large print, audio and electronic formats. This includes a quarterly newsletter sent to each member in the format of their choice.

All our meetings and events are held in venues that are accessible to wheelchair users. We hire microphones and hearing loops for our meetings when appropriate.

When we organise events for our members, we provide free places for juniors and carers of junior members. Costs are subsidised for all adult members.

In our new tournaments which are being played remotely because of the pandemic we are as inclusive as possible. We allow various voice and video platforms and other options for playing the games.

Inclusion and respect

We aim to make every member feel equally welcome and included at our events and in our communications.

Sexist, racist, homophobic or otherwise offensive and inflammatory remarks and behaviour are not acceptable. These constitute harassment, and have no place in the Association.

Dealing with discrimination and harassment

If any member feels they have been discriminated against by the Association or harassed at an Association event they should raise this with a member of the committee. The committee member will proceed in accordance with our complaints policy.

The Association will support people who feel they have been harassed or discriminated against, and will not victimise or treat them less well because they have raised this.

Last reviewed November 2020