A DREAM has come true for two Stockton Heath brothers who are collaborating with Manchester United.
The football club will be displaying products from Christian and Ross Laing’s business Stand Out Socks to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day.
Stand Out Socks was founded by Ross, who has down syndrome, and Christian back in 2021 to raise awareness.
Christian also wanted to create a firm where Ross could not only work but be an integral part of the business after struggling to find a job for many years.
And now two years later, they are doing just that with the support of Manchester United.
To celebrate World Down Syndrome Day on March 21, the brothers have designed an exclusive pair of socks.
The sock design includes 20 Manchester bees with an extra golden copy of a 21st bee. This represents that down syndrome is caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21.
The Manchester United and Stand Out Socks collaboration will raise money for the charity Positive About Down Syndrome which provides families and maternity units with the book #NobodyToldMe.
And the socks are now available in the Manchester United Megastore at Old Trafford.
Co-founders of Stand Out Socks Christian, 39, and Ross, 35, said: “As lifelong Manchester United fans, this is our dream come true.
“This opportunity presents spreading the awareness of down syndrome far and wide while celebrating World Down Syndrome Day with the biggest club in world football.”
Christian added: “In October 2021, Stand Out Socks was born out of the back of our parent’s industrial unit.
"We scraped what little money we had together and launched our website www.standoutsocks.co.uk with only three sock designs.
“Less than 18 months on, we could have never imagined we'd be in Old Trafford standing in front of the Sir Alex Ferguson stand launching an exclusive pair of Stand Out socks with Manchester United to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day.
“For Manchester United to believe in who we are, our message of inclusion, and the alternative futures we are trying to create means absolutely everything."
Richard Thornton, head of buying at Manchester United, said: “The moment Stand Out Socks approached us we were excited to work with them and help spread their message of positivity and how capable people with Downs Syndrome are in the workplace.
“The brand has been fantastic to work with, both on a professional and personal level and we are proud to work with them in the run-up to World Down Syndrome Day on March 21.
“We will be donating all profits to the fantastic charity Positive About Down Syndrome.
“We are proud to stock Stand Out socks in our megastore and we know our fans will come out in force to support this worthwhile venture.”
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