Accessibility tip: Hymn numbers in church
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It’s important to us that as many people can access our services as possible – everyone is welcome.
We also work with local parishes from across Greater Manchester and Lancashire to improve accessibility and offer a range of services to support people from some of those communities too – from training to advice and practical ways to make your community, organisation and services more accessible.
Here, Minna from our accessibility service, gives us another tip to help make our church services more accessible…
I’m very proud to say that this tip isn’t really one of mine. It came about from a Caritas Salford accessibility advocate, in one of our northern parishes with many elderly parishioners.
It was noted that in this parish, there wasn’t so much a cacophony of praise during hymns but a little muttered whisper.
Before Mass it was noted that an older lady walked to the front and stood before the altar for a minute or so before returning to a pew near the back of the church.
The advocate, curious, one morning asked why she did this. The lady confessed that she couldn’t see the hymn numbers so walked down to the front to see them ahead of Mass.
Something we take for granted is perhaps that the hymn numbers are visible. I propose that they are not.
This advocate then had the idea of publishing the Sunday hymn numbers in the newsletter and online so that people could access them and participate in the singing. So simple?
Since then, I’ve encountered another church through advocates, in Eccles, who print the hymn numbers and titles and display them near the hymn books for people to read as they collect. Another simple but effective way to ensure that people can read the numbers. My own parish shares the musical plan for Mass via WhatsApp group.
Accessibility needs often go unmet because it is assumed that what has always done is suitable for all.
Start asking questions – do you need anything?
If you have ideas about other tips we could share to help others improve accessibility in their parish community, please get in touch with Minna by emailing accessibility@caritassalford.org.uk
Find out more about our accessibility service at www.caritassalford.org.uk/service/accessibility-service