Guinness World Record Holder!

We are incredibly proud to celebrate an amazing achievement by DS Achieve team member Charlotte, who has achieved a world record at the TCS London Marathon 2026!

Charlotte’s determination, resilience and positivity have inspired all of us, and we know many of our families and supporters will join us in congratulating her on this fantastic accomplishment.

Taking on the London Marathon is an incredible challenge in itself, and to achieve a world record at the same time is truly remarkable. We are so proud to have Charlotte as part of the DS Achieve team.

A huge congratulations, Charlotte - what an achievement!

Thank You Herts Loves CIC!

A huge thank you to Herts Loves CIC who raised £100 for DS Achieve at their pre-loved children's pop-up at the end of March.

Every pound raised makes a real difference, helping us continue our work with families and professionals so that children and young people with Down Syndrome can thrive and achieve their full potential.

Thank you so much for your brilliant support!

A Huge Thank You to Our London Marathon Runners!

We want to say a huge congratulations and thank you to our two incredible 2026 London Marathon runners, Penny and Charlotte.

Penny ran as DS Achieve’s official charity place runner, while Charlotte is one of our DS Achieve team. We are so grateful to both of them for the dedication, training, fundraising and determination that went into completing this amazing challenge.

Running the London Marathon is an enormous achievement, especially in the hot conditions on the day, and we could not be prouder of what they accomplished.

We would also like to thank everyone who donated, cheered them on, shared posts and supported their fundraising journeys. Every contribution will help us continue providing vital support, opportunities and services for children and young people with Down Syndrome and their families.

Your support truly makes a difference, and we are incredibly thankful to have such a wonderful community behind DS Achieve.

Thank you Penny, Charlotte and all of our supporters!

Thank You Amwell View School and Specialist Sports College!

We’re so grateful to Amwell View School and Specialist Sports College, who marked World Down Syndrome Day with a fun Odd Socks Day, raising money for DS Achieve!

It’s wonderful to see schools celebrating difference, raising awareness, and supporting children and young people with Down Syndrome. Every donation will go directly towards our work with families and professionals, helping children reach their full potential.

Thank you to everyone at Amwell View School and Specialist Sports College for your fantastic support!

We are recruiting a Charity Director

We are looking for a strategic, values-driven and collaborative Charity Director/CEO to lead DS Achieve through its next stage, building on strong foundations to ensure long-term sustainability and meaningful impact for the families we support.

This is a rewarding opportunity to play a key role in shaping the future of a small community-focused charity supporting children and young people with Down Syndrome. Working closely with the Board of Trustees, you will provide strategic leadership, guide the development of the organisation, and support a committed team to deliver high-quality services for families across Hertfordshire and surrounding areas.

Pay: c. £45,500 FTE (pro rata depending on hours)

Hours: 12–15 hours per week (flexible), including:

• Term-time delivery, with occasional light activity outside term time

• Occasional attendance at Saturday afternoon sessions and key events

Location: Home based, with occasional travel within Hertfordshire for meetings, events or service delivery as required.

Start date: Summer 2026 (flexible)

If you are interested in applying for the position and would like to find out more, please read the Role Profile here and get in touch with your CV and a covering letter outlining your interest in the role at info@dsachieve.org.

The application deadline is Monday 20th April 2026. Please expect to receive a response once the deadline has passed.

A Fantastic Family Party to Celebrate World Down Syndrome Day!

We’re still smiling after such a fantastic afternoon at our Family Party on Sunday!

It was wonderful to see so many families come together to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day - the room was full of energy, laughter and that brilliant sense of community that makes DS Achieve so special.

The Jersey Farm Community Centre was once again the perfect setting for a fun-filled afternoon, with something for everyone. Here’s a snapshot of what we got up to:

• a soft play area for our youngest children

• a quiet room for anyone needing a calmer space away from the main hall

• creative activities, including decorating odd sock-shaped gingerbread, scratch art, an odd socks craft station and colouring

• glitter tattoos (always a favourite!)

• a range of games and activities, including giant Connect 4, Frisbee Challenge, Monkey Mayhem, Ring Toss, Ball in the Bucket and our letter hunt challenge to spell out a secret word

• a ‘selfie’ spot with fun props and frame

• and a bit of a dance at the end of the afternoon

We also had some brilliant competitions running throughout the afternoon:

• Find where the bunny is hiding - congratulations to Sienna who took home her new cuddly bunny

• Guess the number of eggs in the odd sock - well done to Valerie who won a Lindt Easter Egg

Our raffle was another highlight, with the draw taking place on Monday morning - thank you to everyone who bought tickets to support DS Achieve.

We also launched our range of DS Achieve branded t-shirts and sweatshirts, sales will be open soon so please keep an eye out for our emails and social media posts.

A very special thank you to Stephanie Belton, who once again generously gave her time and talent to capture the day. We know how much families value these photos, and we’re so grateful for her continued support.

And of course, a huge THANK YOU to our amazing volunteers who made the day run so smoothly: Alek, Daria, Eve, Gabs, Helena, Lucas, Max, Megan, Mia, Ridhi, Tina (and her whole family!), William - we couldn’t have done it without you!

Events like this are a wonderful opportunity to bring families together, celebrate our community and raise vital funds to support our work. Thank you for being part of it.

If you attended, we’d love to hear your highlights or any suggestions for future events, please do get in touch at info@dsachieve.org.

We’re already looking forward to the next one!

We are recruiting for a Youth Club Leader!

We are looking for a proactive and highly motivated Youth Club Leader to help shape and deliver our new Youth Club programme for young people aged 11–17 with Down Syndrome.

This is an exciting opportunity to design and develop a meaningful, engaging and educational space for secondary-aged young people with Down Syndrome, developing life and social communication skills, and building confidence, friendships and independence during a key stage of their development.

Pay: From £25 per hour (to include a Saturday weighting) with a range to accommodate background, skills, professional qualifications, and experience.

Hours: 4 hours per week; 31 weeks per year (during term time only), to cover:

• 2 hours at the group each week (4-6pm on Saturday afternoons)

• 20 hours per term on other listed activities, to be worked flexibly

Location: Groups take place at Applecroft Primary School, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6JZ. Remaining hours to be worked from home.

Start date: Summer 2026

If you are interested in applying for the position and want to find out more, please read the role profile here and get in touch with your CV and the reasons why you’re interested in the role on info@dsachieve.org.

The application deadline is Monday 20th April. Please expect to receive a response to your application once the deadline has passed.

Happy World Down Syndrome Day!

Each year on 21st March we mark World Down Syndrome Day - a day to celebrate Down Syndrome (DS), raise awareness, and advocate for the rights and inclusion of people with DS around the world.

World Down Syndrome Day has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012, and on this day we join a single global voice calling for a world where everyone has the same freedoms and opportunities.

Why the 21st March? The 21st day of the third month was chosen to represent the three copies of the 21st chromosome which causes Down Syndrome. This unique chromosomal pattern is often represented by brightly coloured or mismatched socks, as their shape resembles chromosomes.

World Down Syndrome Day is a perfect time to get talking about DS, dispel myths, raise awareness (and funds!) and most importantly, celebrate.

A great way to do this is by taking part in the 'Lots Of Socks' campaign. The campaign was launched to get people talking, and is a celebration of everything that makes all of us different, and yet the same.

Wear some mismatched or colourful socks that are going to get noticed and then when someone notices, it’s the perfect opportunity to say, “I’m wearing them to raise awareness about Down Syndrome”. And that’s your chance to share everything you want them to understand about DS.

The theme for WDSD 2026 is Together Against Loneliness. Loneliness is a serious issue - not just a sad feeling, but something that is genuinely harmful to our health and happiness. Research shows that people with intellectual disabilities are more likely to experience loneliness, and that true inclusion means more than just being present - it means being welcomed, valued, and invited to take part.

This year, we're calling for every person to have meaningful relationships, to feel truly included in schools, jobs and community life, and to be safe from stereotyping. Together, we can make a difference. For more information about WDSD 2026, here are some useful links:

Together Against Loneliness - Down Syndrome International

Down Syndrome explained

WDSD 2026 – Down Syndrome UK

World Down Syndrome Day | United Nations

We are so grateful for the support of our wonderful community. If DS Achieve has made a positive difference to your life or the life of someone you love, please consider making a small donation. Your generosity helps us continue delivering the services that matter most to our families.

Rock Your Odd Socks - World Down Syndrome Day 2026 - We'd love you to get involved!

We’re inviting you to help spread the word and support DS Achieve by encouraging your school or workplace to take part in Odd Socks Day!

Taking part is simple - wear some mismatched or colourful socks that are going to get noticed, and then when someone comments, it’s the perfect opportunity to say, “I’m wearing them to raise awareness about Down Syndrome”.

This is a great way to fundraise for DS Achieve. Donations collected for wearing odd socks help us raise vital funds that go directly towards supporting children and young people with Down Syndrome. Every penny makes a real difference and helps us continue our important work.

If you would like to take part, please download our information sheet below about World Down Syndrome Day and provides a short explanation to share with pupils, parents and colleagues.

Donations can be made via our JustGiving page: Donate here

Alternatively, contact us at info@dsachieve.org to request our bank details.

Thank you for supporting DS Achieve in 2025.

We couldn't do it without you.

As we come to the end of another year, we’d like to take a moment to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported DS Achieve throughout 2025. Whether you’ve joined us at events, volunteered your time, fundraised, donated, or helped share our work with others, your support has played a vital role in everything we’ve achieved this year. We truly couldn’t do this without you.

It has been a full and rewarding year for DS Achieve, and we’re pleased to share a snapshot of the difference your support has made in 2025. You can read more about our work, highlights, and achievements by viewing our 2025 Impact Report at the link below.