COMBATING POLIO - PURPLE CROCUS PLANTING

Polio is a fearful disease and used to cause havoc across the world, including Britain (indeed there are still many disabled survivors around). A sustained campaign by Rotary Worldwide in conjunction with the Bill Gates Foundation has almost, but not quite, eradicated polio throughout the world. There is still the occasional case in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The problem for us all is that, if it is not eradicated completely it will spread and take hold again. We still need to fund this final push.

Rotary Clubs across the world support this and our contribution is to make a direct contribution from our charity fund each year, but we also organise crocus planting events each Autumn. The crocuses are purple - the campaign colour of Polio Plus and their emergence each Spring is intended to remind people of the importance of this campaign.                                           

This year crocus corms are being distributed in October and some are being planted by the Rotary Club around the Library. Our picture shows club members just as they finish the planting. Packets of corms are also being made available to individuals to plant themselves