A NEW social enterprise celebrating Scottish football launched in Dumfriesshire this week.
The Toe Poke Community Interest Company will trade in football themed clothing and merchandise, to raise funds for grassroots clubs locally.
The initiative also creates Scotland’s only football fans owned brand, and its first range of clothing is aimed at fans of Scotland national teams for Scotland supporters who want to show off their colours, but don’t want to wear replica jerseys.
As Toe Poke founder Ian Barr, of Moffat, explained: “Toe Poke is Scotland’s only fans owned football brand. We have a serious social mission – to sell football themed clothes that are much loved and through their popularity help put money back into local communities. We aim to earn the respect of the people of Dumfries and football fans across Scotland.
“Our research shows that older supporters really want to wear smarter football clothes to games, not replica jerseys, which isn’t a great look to be honest if you’re not playing football.
“Toe Poke clothes will be stylish and made from organic materials and be really comfortable to wear. More than 60 per cent of all our Community Interest Company profits will be returned to Dumfries youth football projects and football advocacy projects advised by Supporters Direct Scotland.
“There is huge potential, in time, to work with local football and sports clubs to provide their merchandise and clothing to support local employment and recycle money back into the Dumfries economy.”
Toe Poke clothing in the short term can only be purchased online, though the company intends in time to establish retail partnerships in and around Dumfries, and to sell directly at local markets.
The clothes will be prepared and distributed by Lochmaben company Rostrum Sportswear.
n For more information and to view Toe Poke first line of merchandise go to www.toepokescotland.com.
