#WPLDN - November 2025: HTML5 Accessibility & Freelance Success
Details
Join us for the last formal #WPLDN of 2025, where we're diving into two essential topics that matter to every WordPress professional! This month, we're exploring the accessibility landscape of HTML5 semantic elements and the often-overlooked business realities of freelancing.
Whether you're ensuring your sites work for everyone or navigating the practicalities of working for yourself, these sessions will equip you with knowledge that goes beyond just writing code.
📅 Date: November 27, 2025
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM ⬅ EARLIER TIME
🎟️ Cost: Free (Registration Required)
Session 1: What did HTML5 ever do for accessibility?
🤝 Speaker: Graham Armfield | Coolfields Consulting
Graham is a Web Accessibility Consultant who works with organisations to improve the accessibility of their websites through testing and developer guidance. He's also a WordPress developer who has built many accessible WordPress sites and contributed to the Make WordPress Accessible Team, speaking on accessibility at numerous WordCamps and meetups. When he's not improving the web, you'll find him playing guitar and performing at local open mic evenings.
HTML5 promised us a wealth of new semantic elements and APIs to build better, more accessible websites. But after nearly two decades, how well have these promises been fulfilled? Graham presents an updated remix of his 2019 talk, examining which HTML5 elements have succeeded in improving accessibility, which still need browser and assistive technology support, and which remain frustratingly far from being production-ready. If you're building blocks and plugins using these elements, you'll learn whether accessibility is truly catered for or if you need to implement workarounds.
Session 2: Everything but the Code - The Stuff I've Learned as a WordPress Freelancer
🤝 Speaker: Rhys Wynne | dwinrhys.com
Rhys Wynne is a Welsh freelance WordPress developer living in North West England who co-organises the Manchester WordPress User Group. His work focuses on performance, SEO, and back-end WordPress and WooCommerce development for small and medium-sized businesses and charities.
After leaving his developmental director role in 2018 to become a freelancer, Rhys discovered there was far more to learn than just the technical aspects of building websites.
Thousands of talks cover code and making WordPress work, but what about the boring stuff they don't tell you about? Rhys shares the lessons he's learned about the non-technical side of freelancing: where and how to pitch for work, setting yourself up for success, handling contracts, paying yourself, and maintaining a healthy work/life balance. This is the practical, honest talk Rhys wished he'd heard when he started his freelance journey—covering all the crucial business aspects that make or break a freelance career.
Schedule:
🔹 6:00 PM – Doors Open & Networking
🔹 6:30 PM – Welcome & Session 1: Graham Armfield
🔹 7:30 PM – Short Break & Networking
🔹 7:45 PM – Session 2: Rhys Wynne
🔹 8:30 PM – Social & Wrap-Up
📢 RSVP Now!
Don't miss this chance to learn from two experienced WordPress professionals who'll share insights you won't find in documentation or code repositories. Whether you're building accessible sites or building a sustainable freelance business, there's valuable knowledge here for you. Secure your free spot today and join us for an evening of learning, networking, and community! 🎉
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Venue Information
The Bridge is a charity supporting women to make positive choices and encouraging improvements to fitness, health, and wellbeing. The venue features a plant-based café (supplied by Girls Who Grind Coffee) and is just a 5-minute walk from London Bridge Station.
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Massive thanks to our sponsors who make these free events possible:
DreamHost, Klaviyo, Mollie, hosting.com, 20i, and Kinsta
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If you're interested in being a featured speaker at an upcoming event, we'd love to hear from you at https://wpldn.uk/speak.
🎥 - Media Release Terms
By attending, you understand and accept that portions of the event may have audio/photo/video-recorded and/or live-streamed and may be used by the organisers. You agree that the organisers have the right and permission to use and publish such media for any purpose in any format, including online and offline, now and ever after, without further compensation, permission, or notification. You understand that all official recordings from the event are the exclusive property of the organisers, available under the Creative Commons AttributionShareAlike license for general use, and you do not ask for nor expect compensation or notification of the use of official recordings or photographs in which you appear or speak. Please inform an organisational team member at the event's start if you do not wish to appear in photos or videos.
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