Wear odd socks to raise awareness of Down Syndrome

Sunday 18 March 2018

Les Amis is inviting islanders and organisations to join in their efforts to celebrate World Down Syndrome Awareness Day on 21 March by wearing odd socks.

Tying in with the Down Syndrome Association’s national #LotsOfSocks campaign, Les Amis is hoping that anyone who takes part will donate £1.

Down Syndrome Awareness Day is celebrated on 21 March because the condition occurs when a person has three sets of the 21^st chromosome instead of two.

Money donated to Les Amis is used to ensure that the residents have a good day every day. One of Les Amis most recent fundraising projects is the creation of a special needs care unit for elderly residents. Many of Les Amis’ residents have Down Syndrome and are five times more likely to develop dementia as they enter old age. For Les Amis, a unit that could cater for its residents' needs is essential so that the charity can continue to support them into old age.

Jason Loveless, Head of Support Services at Les Amis, said: “Down Syndrome is well-known but still not many people know a lot about what it means for individuals with the genetic condition. We are hoping to raise awareness about Down Syndrome and will be posting interesting facts and stories throughout the week on our Facebook page so we can help more people understand what Down Syndrome is. Wearing odd socks is a little bit of fun that we hope will spark conversation and encourage people to learn more about what Les Amis does and how we support our residents with Down Syndrome.”

ZEDRA, Jersey Post and de Gruchys, three of Les Amis’ partner companies for the year, have already signed up for the initiative. On Wednesday, their staff will be wearing odd socks to help raise awareness for Down Syndrome and raise funds for the new unit.