End Polio Campaign
Learn about our fight to end Polio
Have you noticed that over the last few years more and more swathes of purple crocus have been appearing each Spring around Harrogate?
Do you know who planted them and why the colour purple was chosen by Rotary? For over 30 years Rotary International has been working hard to rid the world of polio, a disease which has no cure, which means immunisation programmes are essential to prevent children from contracting this disease. When this programme started there were 125 endemic countries…now there are just two…Pakistan and Afghanistan. All the money raised is matched by Bill Gates.
But why purple crocus? It was chosen because when children in countries like India are immunised they have the end of their little finger painted purple…which looks just like the purple crocus peeping through the ground.
The thousands of purple crocus in Harrogate have been planted by schoolchildren, who are able to see them bloom each year. This year pupils from Rossett Acre Primary school will plant 2000 crocus at the top of the Valley Gardens and pupils from New Park Primary School will plant 2000 crocus in their outdoor area which runs alongside Skipton Road.
