FCFCG Framework Signage
Project outline
The context
The Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens (FCFCG) has been asked if it might commission the design and production of Health & Safety signs (plus possibly others such as for recycling cans, drinking water, types of animals) that are more genuinely accessible than many of the commercial ones, look more ‘attractive’ so the site doesn’t look like a hospital environment (and yet have greater impact), and are durable such that one-off investment is just that. Also to explore the possibility of price reduction if a bulk order were to be placed. The artwork for the signs would also be made available to download.
The need
Farms have a variety of visitors including young children, people with learning difficulties and other special needs, people whose first language is not English etc. Many are either confused with some of the hand washing and other signs, or can’t read the English warnings e.g. advice for pregnant women to avoid contact with ewes and lambs.
The differing ability to understand the messages we try to convey for the cross-section of people who visit city farms is a daunting, and probably impossible task to get right for everyone, but it needs to improve and Environmental Health Officers are requiring better signage on many farms.
The Griffin Report, following an outbreak of Ecoli0157 in 2010, also recommended improved signage
The audience
This new signage programme is primarily of interest to community managed farms in the UK, but many of the outputs will be equally applicable to community gardens and rural farms that encourage visitors. The Access To Farms partnership has taken an increasing interest and has agreed to fund some of the developments and to trial drafts across the full range of farms that receive visitors. Funding was secured from the lottery (Awards for All) to pay for consultation and design expertise.
The target audience:
- Adults with learning disabilities and their carers
- Visual impaired
- BSL users
- Refugees and non English Speakers
- School groups and their teachers
- Children and their parents/guardians
- Local groups that visit farms
- Staff and volunteers.
Outcomes
- A framework of signage that can be used on farms, including designs with options for customising by farm managers, and recommendations for production materials and methods of printing
- The option – if adopted – of all city farms using the designs to give all visitors across the UK a degree of consistency
- A template for the production of the signs both by in-house means (low cost ink jet printing) as well as outsourcing production
- An increased standard of accessibility and awareness of non-English communication and disabilities both in mobility and understanding.
