Crocus planting to boost polio campaign
25000 bulbs to be planted in Bolton
The Rotary Club of Turton, who will join up with other Rotary Clubs in Bolton to plant 25000 crocuses this autumn to highlight their target of eliminating polio worldwide, are inviting members of the public to join them in the planting campaign.
Next year is the centenary of the Rotary’s own charity, called the Rotary Foundation, which since 1985, has spent almost one billion pounds on a worldwide campaign of polio eradication, which has seen 2.5 billion children vaccinated.
In 1985 there were 125 countries where polio was endemic but today there are just two and last month there were only 19 cases in the world, a reduction of more than 99.9 percent.
The Rotary symbol for the campaign is a purple crocus, purple being the colour of the dye used on childrens' fingers around the world, to signify that they have been immunised.
The Rotary Clubs of Bolton will be planting the crocuses this October in public spaces around Bolton, to be in flower for the centenary, and for each subsequent year thereafter.
This activity will benefit the local environment, forming an attractive floral display for years to come and of course, promote and support the ongoing campaign for the total elimination of polio.
