London Irish to Wear Purple Socks for Disability Inclusion
Club to host festival to promote accessible sports at Gunnersbury Park
L to R Wayne Wedgbury, from London Irish Foundation, players Matt Cornish and Kyle Rowe, and Andy Keast from London Irish Foundation
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November 29, 2022
London Irish Rugby Football Team is changing kit for its fixture with Newcastle Falcons this Saturday (3 December) with the players wearing purple socks rather than the usual green.
This is to mark Purple Sock Day and the International Day of Persons with Disabilities at the club’s Premiership match at the Gtech Community Stadium in Brentford.
The London Irish Foundation, the club’s charity, is also hosting a festival of sports inclusion at Gunnersbury Park Sports Hub before the game. Local schools and disability sports teams will play accessible sports together.
The special purple socks can also be bought from the club’s shop or online. Profits will be shared between the London Irish Foundation and the Purple Sock Day fund which funds a mentoring and business training scheme for disabled entrepreneurs.
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) was created by the UN in 1992 aiming to promote the rights of disabled people and raise awareness of disability.
London Irish Full-back Kyle Rowe said: “We are looking forward to December 3 when we will be wearing our purple socks with pride for the match against Newcastle Falcons. I encourage fans to buy socks to wear on Purple Sock Day, not only are they really comfortable and last a long time, the money raised goes towards a fund for mentoring disabled people who want to set up their own businesses. The socks also make great Christmas presents. Everyone deserves a level playing field when it comes to sport and employment.”
London Irish Foundation Chief Executive Andy Keast said, “We are pleased to show solidarity with the disabled community. Our foundation uses the power of sport to make a lasting and sustainable legacy across the communities we serve. Rugby brings communities together and all sports should be accessible to all. Purple Sock Day is an excellent way of showing support for disabled people.”
Purple Sock Day founder Andrew Douglass, CEO of disability inclusion brand Parallel Lifestyle, said, “We are delighted to collaborate with such a well-known club to promote disability inclusion. Seeing the players in purple socks will be a very proud moment.
“Purple Sock Day is a simple act of mass participation which not only raises positive awareness for disability inclusion, but also generates tangible, lasting social impact benefits for the UK’s disabled business community.”
The Purple Sock Day Fund sponsors budding entrepreneurs to complete a Launchpad course with Hatch Enterprise, an organisation helping under-represented entrepreneurs to develop their own businesses.
Disabled people face a much higher unemployment rate than those without disabilities. Official statistics show the disability employment rate in the UK to be 52.7 per cent, compared to 81 per cent for non-disabled people.
Issues including accessibility in the workplace, lack of flexibility in hours and working conditions and discrimination are cited by disabled people looking for jobs.
The socks are made by the British sustainable fashion brand BAM. They cost £6 per pair and can be bought from the London Irish Club Shop online or at the stadium on the day.
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