World Down Syndrome Day | North London United

Today is World Down Syndrome Day and this year marks the ten-year anniversary of our collaboration with North London United, a community-based sports project dedicated to young individuals aged five to 30 years old with Down Syndrome.

Recently, Martin Odegaard, Leah Williamson, Laura Wienroither, Kaylan Marckese and Emily Fox visited The Arsenal Hub to celebrate the milestone as they joined in with participants across two sessions.

Throughout the years, we’ve welcomed several players and ex-players, including Petr Cech, Granit Xhaka and Per Mertesacker, who have consistently lent their support to the programme.

Sessions at The Hub run from 5pm to 6:30pm every Monday, involving two 45-minute sessions tailored to different age groups. Our focus extends beyond football, covering areas such as movement, communication and social skills development.

We take enormous pride in our collaboration with North London United. Every participant and player is not just seen but championed and valued, reflecting our commitment to inclusivity and support. These sessions serve as more than just physical exercise – they nurture enduring friendships, enhance footballing abilities and foster social skills development.

Together, through programmes and partnerships like this, we strive to uphold our club ambition of bringing pride, inspiration and belonging to the Arsenal family.

You can watch some highlights from the day including interviews with Martin, Leah, Laura, Kaylan and our Accessibility Coordinator Luke Howard.