WORLD DOWN SYNDROME AWARENESS DAY - IRVINE - LOTS OF SOCKS
A young Irvine girl’s appeal for people to wear odd socks and get involved in World Down Syndrome Awareness Day recently went viral and her local policing team have today (Wednesday 21st March 2018) joined the campaign.
Millions of people around the world have watched the appeal video online during which five year old Chloe encourages everyone to wear odd socks on the day.
Why socks? Well, because chromosomes look like socks and people with Down syndrome have an extra chromosome! “Lots of Socks” is acknowledged around the world as being associated with Down syndrome.
Police officers and staff in Irvine have today held a briefing on Down Syndrome to learn more about the condition and the work undertaken to ensure each individual with Down Syndrome is given the right type and amount of support to reach their full potential.
Sergeant Jason Peter, of the Irvine Locality Policing Team, commented “in Ayrshire we have marked Down Syndrome Awareness Day for a number of years - this year was extra special and the team were determined to do more after seeing young Chloe’s video online.
“Uniform standards were discreetly overlooked for this great cause with many of the team turning up for work today wearing odd socks in an array of colours and brilliant designs.
“This is a fun initiative with a serious message and at our briefing session we learnt more of the facts about Down syndrome reinforcing the message from the international charity Nothing Down - that there really is nothing down about Down’s.
“It has been great to see the momentum build for this campaign with local schools, businesses and individuals getting involved.”
For more information on Down syndrome visit:
https://www.dsscotland.org.uk/new-parents/what-is-downs-syndrome/