Purple Sock Day logo with purple sock as the L in purple.

Celebrating the international day of disabled people

on 3rd December

Sustainable Style with Social Impact

SOCKS ARE STILL IN STOCK FOR XMAS

Order on the
BAM website

Picture of Orange and Purple socks
Purple socks with white Parallel logo and stripes


For larger orders over 100 pairs,
please contact Andrew Douglass on andrew@parallellifestyle.com / 07947 630 288

Graham Norton sitting on an chair in the radio station office wearing the stripy purple socks.

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To celebrate The International Day of Disabled People on 03 December our simple aim is to engage the nation with one, effortless, single act of united solidarity - to buy & wear a pair of our purple socks!

By buying and wearing our soft bamboo socks, made by BAM, & tagging us at #PurpleSockDay, you can help us raise positive awareness for disability inclusion.

Sustainable style with social impact - what’s not to love!

The International Day of Disabled People (IDPD) takes place annually on 03 December. The day was created by the UN in 1992; with the aims to promote the rights & well-being of disabled people across society & raise awareness of disability in every aspect of political, social, economic & cultural life.

For Corporate Orders (min. order 10 pairs), please email socks@parallellifestyle.com for more information on how to get your whole company involved!’

About IDPD 

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

IDPD has been slowly picking up momentum in the UK. The main activity is #PurpleLightUpHowever,  this ‘movement’ appeals mainly to larger businesses, where the measure of success appears to be
the number of corporate buildings lighting up purple.

The call to action is for businesses to join memberships of
the same people organising the campaign.

Can we ‘light up’  the message behind IDPD in a more engaging way?

Parallel Socks - About / Buy / Shop

The colour associated with disability is purple.
We will ask the nation to wear a pair of brightly coloured, purple socks on 03 December to mark IDPD & show outward support for the disability community & disability inclusion.Why Socks? Just about everybody in society wears socks. A simple, effortless & fun way to mark the occasion.

The act of putting on, wearing & taking off socks provides tangible physical touch points for the key message; which will live long in the memory. You can also keep the socks & wear them multiple times.

BAM

It goes without saying, that Parallel Socks will be 100% sustainable & high quality Working with BAM, a world-class sustainable clothing company, who make all of their products from Bamboo.

BAM will also support, through distribution, online retailing & promote Parallel Socks

Beneficiaries

A pair of socks will retail for £5This year, 50% of profits will be donated to Contact / Fledglings - a charity for families with disabled children. 

Any residual profit will be re-invested into Parallel Socks for a national roll out in 2021. Parallel Socks is part of Parallel Lifestyle; a social enterprise with a mission to improve accessibility and disabled peoples’ basic right to live life to the full in mainstream society.

FAQs

Q: I’d love to buy a pair. Where can I buy ?
Q: I’d be interested in Wholesale
Q: What is your commitment to Sustainability?

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OUR BAM SOCKS

Our socks are made by the wonderful folks at BAM, who are pioneers in natural activewear. 

Soft, sustainable, & ethically sourced bamboo clothing run by people who care passionately about our environment. BAM also create clothing that inspire people to be the best versions of themselves, regardless of age or ability.

Did you know that purple is the colour most commonly associated with disability.

A white logo that says BAM clothing
How much is a pair of socks? £6. There is a picture of purple striped parallel socks with a white icon sewn higher up the socks. there is also a picture of Issac Harvey using a vr headset and wearing a pair of them.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE MONEY?

Our principal beneficiary and partner is the British Association for Supported Employment (BASE). BASE is the leading voice that represents the Supported Employment sector, who across the UK are changing lives, by supporting individuals and employers to embed inclusive recruitment practices into the heart of workforce planning. 

BASE’s mission is clear: they want to create an embedded culture of employment for all, by removing barriers, raising aspirations, beliefs and opportunities. BASE is committed to ensuring that Disabled and Neurodivergent people remain at the heart of all their work, having choice and control over their future, whether as an employee or as an entrepreneur. Check out their website to find out more.

Profits from Purple Sock Day sales will be donated to BASE to specifically support disabled entrepreneurs.

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OUR AMBASSADORS

A profile picture of Shani looking assertive.

SHANI

Shani Dhanda is an award-winning disability specialist & entrepreneur, listed as one of the UK's most influential disabled people. Shani also founded the Asian Disability Network & the Asian Woman Festival.

A picture of Josh smiling and looking into the camera, whilst in his wheelchair.

josh

Josh Wintersgill is a multi-talented & highly successful young British entrepreneur, aspiring Paralympian & founder of Able Move. His company produces a range of daily disability living aids, including the well known easyTravelseat, an innovative transfer sling designed specifically for wheelchair users to help with transferring in & out of a wheelchair, particularly when flying by air.

Victoria standing against a black fence and dressed in a black fedora.

Victoria

Victoria Jenkins is an award winning adaptive designer, disability advocate, speaker & writer. After becoming disabled in her mid-20s, Victoria founded Unhidden, a highly successful & socially responsible adaptive fashion range for people with disabilities. In early 2021 she wrote her first book, The Little Book of Ableism, as a guide to help non disabled people learn simple & easy ways to communicate with the community & be accessible in their private & professional lives. Victoria is also a brand ambassador for Models of Diversity & TEDx Speaker.

Mark Esho dressed in a pin-stripped suit and sitting in a black wheelchair against a white backdrop.

mark

Mark Esho MBE is the Founder of Easy Internet & Access Rating CIC. He is also a motivational speaker & a bestselling author, following his acclaimed autobiography, I can. I will. which became a number one bestseller on Amazon. Mark has & Pensions to change attitudes around employing disabled people & created the Circle Foundation; a social enterprise which supports disabled entrepreneurs. Throughout a highly successful business career, Mark has received multiple awards, including the winner of first ever National Diversity Award for Business Excellence, Director of the Year SME – Small & the Institute of Director’s East Midlands Director of the Year Award for Inclusivity. In the 2021 New Year’s Honour list, Mark was awarded an MBE for services to business.

Sarah aka wheelie momma blogger is looking out of a window whilst writing with a fountain pen.

Sarah

Sarah is a serial entrepreneur, who is better known to many as Wheelie Momma blogger.

She is a sought-after motivational speaker, publishes an online magazine Wheelie Momma Life, a Gentlebirth antenatal instructor & a published author with her first children’s book “My Mum’s A Superhero”. She is also currently working on her autobiography “I’ll Show You”

In the 2021 New Year’s Honours List, Sarah was awarded an MBE for her charitable services to people with disabilities.

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST

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Corporate Supporters

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With heartfelt thanks to the following organisations & their staff for wearing our purple socks to celebrate IDPD & caring enough to create opportunity for disabled-owned businesses & entrepreneurs.  

If you would like to find out more & join these trailblazing inclusive organisations to help us create meaningful social impact for this year’s IDPD: please get in touch with us HERE

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