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A11y North Accessibility Meetup | Hello Newcastle!

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About this event

What to expect

A11y North is breaking new ground by hosting its first-ever accessibility meetup in Newcastle. Since launching in 2024, this community has championed digital accessibility across the North of England, and now they're expanding beyond Leeds to bring together accessibility advocates, developers, designers, and anyone passionate about building inclusive digital experiences.

What to Expect

The evening centres on a keynote from Rob Lavender, Senior Technology Delivery Lead at Opencast. His talk, "Radical Honesty: A Non-Expert's Guide to Fixing What's Broken," challenges the notion that you need to be an expert to make a difference in digital accessibility.

Rob brings 11 years of frontend development experience working with UK Government departments, where he's consistently advocated for an accessibility-first mindset. His philosophy is refreshingly practical: if something's broken, find someone to help fix it. Rather than drowning in jargon, he'll demonstrate:

  • Why being a 'useful amateur' is powerful for driving accessibility improvements
  • How 'good enough' can be the most radical act of inclusion
  • Practical ways to use your voice to call out accessibility barriers
  • The importance of simple, gritty collaboration in moving the needle

This approach makes the event particularly valuable for those who care about accessibility but don't consider themselves specialists. Whether you're a developer learning about WCAG guidelines, a designer curious about inclusive design patterns, or a product owner wanting to champion accessibility in your organisation, Rob's talk will provide actionable insights without overwhelming technical complexity.

Format and Networking

The meetup runs from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM, with the formal programme beginning at 6:30 PM. After Rob's keynote and additional presentations (to be announced), attendees can connect over drinks and continue conversations about digital accessibility challenges and solutions. This networking time is invaluable for building relationships with others working on accessibility across the North East.

Practical Information

The venue, Opencast in Hoults Yard, offers free parking—though attendees must register their vehicle at the front desk touchscreen upon arrival. The exact location can be found via [what3words: device.normal.cheese](https://w3w.co/device.normal.chees

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