Welcome to Rotary in
Cumbria and Lancashire

What has Rotary been up to?

Cockermouth Rotary have been celebrating Daffodil Day

The day before the event Cockermouth Rotarians were out and about tidying up the town for Daffodil Day.   On the big day there was a host of events. 

Image : Cockermouth Day daffodils

Jennings Brewery was packed with children and parents enjoying all things daffodil including colouring, stained glass window making, and decorating daffodil biscuits.  A balloon maker made animals and other fun shapes from balloons, knitted daffodils were given out and daffodil bags were available to buy.  

Later in the afternoon there was an entertaining talk on daffodils by a representative from The Daffodil Society. There are about 40 species of daffodils...nearly 200 sub species...and over 30,000 registered hybrids. Who knew that?

Upper Eden tidying up the grounds at the local Care Home

Upper Eden Rotary turned out once again to do a pre-Easter sweep up and tidy at the Christian Head Care Home in Kirkby Stephen - another swathe of dumpy bags were filled and the grounds are now spick and span, ready for sunnier times to follow outside!.  A great example of Rotary in the community.

Image : Upper Eden Rotary members in action

Polio Eradication - Vaccines protect communities – but only if we use them.

Thanks to the global effort led by organisations such as Rotary International through the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, the world is closer than ever to ending polio forever. Vaccination has reduced cases by over 99% since the 1980s – one of the greatest public-health achievements in history.  But diseases return when vaccination rates fall.

Recently in London and the West Midlands, lower uptake of the MMR vaccine has contributed to a rise in cases of measles – a reminder that these illnesses have not disappeared; they are only kept at bay through vaccination. More recently, cases of meningitis have also highlighted the ongoing risk posed by preventable diseases and the importance of maintaining strong immunisation programmes across all age groups.

The lesson is clear: when communities protect themselves with vaccines, diseases decline. When vaccination drops, they can come back.

Image : Child being vaccinated against polio in Pakistan

That’s why Rotary’s mission to end polio remains so important. Through its leadership and long-standing commitment to global health, Rotary International continues to play a vital role in protecting children and communities worldwide. Concerns have therefore been raised following decisions by the UK Government to withdraw funding from certain international polio initiatives. At a time when outbreaks of preventable diseases still occur, sustained investment and global cooperation are more important than ever.

Until polio is eradicated everywhere, it remains a risk everywhere.

For further details about other activities in Cumbria & Lancashire visit the Rotary Clubs websites or Facebook pages.

Interested in helping or joining Rotary?  Visit our Membership pages to find out more about the various options.