Polio Crocus Bulb Planting in York Cemetery

 NOVEMBER 2024 UPDATE - 600 POLIO ERADICATION BULBS PLANTED

More than 25 volunteers turned out last Saturday (November 2) to plant an additional 600 crocus corms in the continuing effort to maintain and 'beautify' York Cemetery. This effort was part of an on-going job by the cemetery 'friends' who turn their hands to various tasks in support of the historic city facility. The crocus corms were donated by Rotary York Ainsty as part of Rotary International's 40-year campaign to eradicate the disease of poliomyelitis from the planet.

The bulk of the corms corms were split into bags of around 30, meaning 20 of the volunteers received a bag each. All were planted within one hour in the Front Lawn area, filling parts deemed lacking from a previous planting some year ago.

More than 10,600 purple crocuses are blooming annually in York Cemetery, recognising Rotary International’s 35-year campaign to rid the world of poliomyelitis. The bulbs bring a colourful reminder of the on-going threat of the killer disease.

The crocuses were planted on the front Baby Lawn in previous years to heighten the awareness of the polio threat each year in the Spring. The Friends of York Cemetery and the Rotary York Ainsty joined to deliver this project.

Local school children from St Lawrence’s Primary School, St Georges Primary School and Fishergate Primary School assisted in the planting. In total, 200 pupils came to help, including 40 from Fishergate’s reception class.

The planting was open to the public with cemetery friends, volunteers assisting and providing refreshments.  Rotarians, Geocache group, LifeStyle girls’ group and local people – aged from three-years-old to grandparents. The Lord Mayor and Civic Party also helped with the planting and the event was televised by York TV.

Rotarians seen above at the planting are (left to right) Christine True, Alan Stow, Clive Dawson and RYA club president Martin Simpson. Clive is chairman of the Friends of York Cemetery.

The purple colour of the crocuses has come to represent the Rotary polio eradication campaign… Purple dye is used on a child’s left finger in developing countries across the world to indicate they have been immunised against polio. 

 A 40-year project by Rotary International

In 1985, Rotary launched its PolioPlus programme, the first initiative to tackle global polio eradication through the mass vaccination of children. In 1985 more than 1,000 children a day were inflicted with polio. Today, the ‘wild’ version of the disease is restricted to just two countries – Pakistan and Afganistan – totalling less than 100 cases a year. 

Geographical isolation, poor public infrastructure, armed conflict and cultural barriers are the main factors stopping the total eradication ambitions of Rotary, the World Health Organisation, US centre for disease prevention and others. Until polio is eradicated, all countries remain at risk of new outbreaks. The UK Government - together with other nations – has donated millions to fund the on-going initiative, recognising the dangers the disease posed to the globe’s children.

More than one million Rotary members have donated their time and personal resources to end polio. Every year, hundreds of Rotary members work side-by-side with health workers to vaccinate children in polio-affected countries. Rotary members work with UNICEF and other partners to prepare and distribute mass communication tools to reach people in areas isolated by conflict, geography, or poverty. Rotary members also recruit fellow volunteers, assist with transporting the vaccine, and provide other logistical support.