End Polio

Campaign to Eradicate Polio, A Request for Collaboration

Polio is a highly infectious disease that can kill or severely disable children with the under 5’s particularly vulnerable.  There is no cure but it can be prevented through immunisation.   For over 30 years Rotary has been working with the World Health Organisation and the Gates Foundation to completely irradicate this terrible disease.  During this period some 2.5 billion children have been immunised and the incident of polio around the world have been reduced by 99.9% but as recent TV news has shown us, with a case being identified in Gaza, there is still work to be done.

Each year Rotary strive to raise addition funding for the drive against this terrible disease.  This often goes under the banner of ‘Purple for Polio’.  The significance of the colour purple is that when a child is immunised under this scheme their finger nail is painted with a purple marker to show that they have received their dose of the vaccine. 

The cost of vaccination is relatively low at just 20p per child.  Rotary receive 2:1 funding from the Gates Foundation so just £1 raised by Rotary can cover the cost of immunising 15 children. 

The Rotary Club of Danetre Daventry (RCoDD) are looking to raise funds for Purple for Polio in the period from now up to May 2025.   We approached the Scouting Association County Commissioner for Northamptonshire and we are delighted to say that Steve Rolt kindly agreed that we could approach Scout Groups in our area for support with Fund Raising and issue a badge to any Cub or Scout who took an active part in raising funds for this cause which they can wear on their uniforms see left.  We understand that participation would also count towards other Association badges such as:-

• Our World Challenge Award - No 2,
• Global Issues Badge 

 Scouts:

• World Challenge Award, No 7, 
• Scout Fund Raising Badge

It is proposed that any Cub Pack of Scout Group taking part in a fund raising activity could retain 50% of all monies raised if they so wish.   The RCoDD would provide badges for any participant raising £5 or more.  We also commit to issuing full accounts of all monies received and transferred to the Rotary Polio Eradication Fund.  

The RCoDD are not specifying any particular type of event for the fund raise, preferring to allow the Packs and Groups to use their own ingenuity and select something appropriate for their membership.  (One activity that many Rotary Clubs participate in the selling of Purple Crous Corms and we would happily support any group interested in taking this as an approach by helping to source the corms but this is just a suggestion for a possible activity).

Rotary has produced several information leaflets, posters and short videos related to Purple for Polio.  These can all be access through the following links below.  Video 1

If you Pack/Group would be interested in taking part in the first instance please contact [???] via e-mail [Rotary mail address for P4]