END POLIO NOW

A few short years ago Rotarians were delighted that Rotary's international Campaign to End Polio Now had contributed to the virtual worldwide elimination of this most pernicious of diseases.

Sadly, the disease has returned even with some suspected cases included in the UK. 

We have no choice. We must fight it again.

In support of Rotary International’s revived International Campaign to End Polio Now, our Club purchased 4000 purple crocus corms. Some of these were sold, raising £165 towards the Campaign and the remainder were distributed within the community to raise awareness of the renewed danger of polio.

350 crocus corms were given to Broadmead Primary School for the young pupils to plant in their own school grounds. Under Head Teacher Sarah Hunter, the school has been involved with the campaign since 2017.

450 corms went to the Love Lane Community Garden in South Norwood and 750 corms were donated to the Friends of Haling Grove in South Croydon. The Rotary Club of Croydon has a long-standing connection with Haling Grove through fellow Rotarians Edward Handley, John Cheetham, Peter Spalding, and the late Tony Man. It was former Croydon Rotary President John Cheetham who strongly encouraged the establishment of the Friends of Haling Grove.

The remaining crocus corms were given to the community in and around Woodside Green. Planting of the corms in clusters on the Green was by a local team led by local Councillor Mike Bonello and the planter-in-chief was his eight-year-old daughter Alice. In the process of organising the planting we discovered that Councillor Bonello's father is an active Rotarian in Hampshire.

Alice and Mike and some helpers planted clusters on Woodside Green around one of the 20 Stones of Croydon placed in the original 20 wards of the London Borough of Croydon in 2015 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the creation of the London Borough of Croydon in 1965.

As Rotarians we are right to support the Campaign to End Polio Now, and it is especially important to do so in partnership with local community groups.

We owe thanks to Nuala O'Neill for helping to build contact with local groups and for helping to promote the Rotary Club of Croydon as a force for good in our town.

Peter Spalding