THIS year’s Disability Awareness Day has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

DAD 2020 had already been postponed until September, having previously been scheduled to take place on Sunday, July 12.

But the decision has now been taken to scrap this year’s event at Walton Hall and Gardens as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.

However, the 29th edition of Disability Awareness Day will still go ahead online using 360-degree virtual reality technology.

Innovative software is currently being developed to allow users to tour the various marquees and popular activities virtually, and will be launched in October.

Dave Thompson – chief executive and co-founder of Warrington Disability Partnership, which runs DAD – said: “Covid-19 has sadly put paid to running this year’s live Disability Awareness Day.

“Partway through the lockdown we rescheduled it for September 27, but as we get closer to that date it is looking like it will be far too risky to try to put on DAD.

“Information, advice and guidance for disabled people is still as important today as it was when DAD first started back in 1992.

“It is now going to be a virtual DAD, which will be launched on October 25 and followed by a number of events the week after.

“It’s a new opportunity and a bit of a jump into the unknown, and we are looking for backers for this brand new entity.

“This could be the next stage in the evolution of Disability Awareness Day.”

The 30th Disability Awareness Day is scheduled to take place on Sunday, July 18 2021.

Dave added: “Next year, we will be back live and kicking.

“We hope that the legacy from this will be that we can hold another virtual DAD in October next year as well, because there could be slightly different audiences and exhibitors for each event.

“This allows us to bring new ideas via the virtual world.

“We’ve now got organisations abroad who want exhibit at the virtual DAD, organisations who have never been able to come to DAD because of the distance.

“We will also be able to attract new visitors who aren’t able to travel to Warrington – we will be able to beam DAD live into people’s homes anywhere in the world, so it’s very exciting.

“I think this will give us an opportunity to create a legacy for DAD that will last for years and years to come.”