In celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we’re highlighting our partnership with Special Olympics GB across our UK network.

This week, Special Olympics GB introduced seven new members to their athlete leadership team, all of whom were recently announced across screens in various cities nearest to their hometowns to mark the occasion.

Joining the team are athletes, Adam Brownsword, Matthew Brough, Emily Clarke, Warren Clark, Fredrika Karlsson, Jenny Lee and Taylor MacKenzie.

Founded in 1968, Special Olympics is a global movement to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities, fostering acceptance of all people through the power of sport and programming in education, health and leadership. 

As part of our EDI strategy, we also participated in Purple Sock Day, which aims to increase positive awareness of disability inclusion and support the rights and wellbeing of disabled people in all aspects of life. This year, we will be donating the socks to The Passage, a charity that provides support to those who experience or become at risk of homelessness in London.

Parallel Lifestyle partnered with BAM to create sustainable and ethically sourced purple socks for an act of united solidarity. Parallel is a social enterprise that supports disabled people to be free to live life to the full.

Parallel partnered with Special Olympics GB to give 50% of the purple sock sale profits to SOGB, to help fund their projects into Intellectual Disability Support. The other 50% will go towards supporting deaf, disabled, and neurodiverse entrepreneurs.