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Monthly News - May 2026

Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD)

The third Thursday of May each year is a day to prompt review and understanding of digital accessibility. The aim of digital accessibility is to maximise inclusive access to online content, supporting Disabled people to interact with digital content independently. This includes internet pages and digital applications.

Accessibility failures have the impact of precluding people with visual or hearing impairments, learning differences and physical disabilities to engage with digitally-hosted material. In a world where much of social, professional and educational content is presented via digital platforms, these failures can create a needless barrier to Disabled people.

WebAIM conduct regular accessibility evaluation of the top 1,000,000 web sites. Following their latest evaluation, they report that as many as 1 in 26 Home page elements present accessibility issues. The top three accessibility failures reported involve quite straightforward actions authors should take before finalising content, low contrast text, missing image alt text, and empty links.
The GAAD website offers numerous resources to support wider learning on how to create accessible content, these include guidance on making social media more accessible, designing inclusive events, as well as information about supportive equipment and software, making this an ideal first step for ensuring good practice whatever your role.

What this day means to me:

My role requires a fair amount of resilience, in that I am often advocating for changes within the organisation that affect me personally. It is both liberating and exhausting to be in a position where I can affect change that – sometimes quite literally – opens doors for other people.

Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) brings mixed emotions, as I reflect on successes from the past year and barriers that remain in place. However, I welcome any observance that gives me the opportunity to guide others towards our

‘Accessibility’ can seem like such a scary word, especially if you’re not sure what it involves. In the workplace context, it’s about making sure as many people can access your content or event. If others can’t read what your content says, they’re not going to engage. If they don’t engage, that’s your effort wasted.

GAAD is that extra push that is sometimes needed to encourage others to engage in

Many inventions were originally designed as accessibility tools, such as the keyboard, electric toothbrush, speech-to-text technology, bendable straws, and my personal favourite – the slanket (it’s a blanket with sleeves). It’s my hope that, as we raise awareness of the broad applications that accessibility tools can have, appreciation and active application become the norm in day-to-day life.

Phillippa, EDI Advisor

2026 calendar

Our EDI calendar can help create an inclusive work and study environment, it can also inspire students, staff and visitors to take part in key celebrations and/or remembrance events.

The calendar highlights faith days observed or celebrated, key diversity days, awareness raising dates and public holidays.

It also focuses on the six main religions as identified in the Census of England and Wales; Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism, All other religions and beliefs not included on the calendar are equally as valued and considered across our work.

Please note: The dates in the calendar were correct at the time of publication in April 2026.

To provide feedback on the calendar, please contact [email protected]