District 1260 Unites Community for World Polio Day Crocus Planting at Wrest Park

On Saturday, 24th October 2026, members from across Rotary District 1260 gathered at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire to mark World Polio Day with a major crocus planting initiative. Despite an uncertain weather forecast, volunteers, local youth groups, and community partners came together to plant thousands of purple crocus corms across the estate grounds.

A Successful Partnership with English Heritage

The operation was conducted with remarkable precision, made possible through the collaboration and expertise of the English Heritage team. Particular thanks go to Head Gardener Andrew Luke, along with three members of staff and seven dedicated volunteers, who assisted in bringing the vision to fruition. The English Heritage team prepared the ground, provided specialized equipment, and marked out designated grid squares to allow structured planting in blocks of 100 corms at a time. District 1260 is deeply grateful for their support and looks forward to future collaborative projects.

Key Contributions and Acknowledggements

A project of this scale relies on the dedication of numerous individuals and clubs across the district:

• Jim Ellis-Jones (Barton-le-Clay Rotary Club) for originating the idea for this district-wide initiative.

• Bob Harris (Hitchin Tilehouse Rotary Club) for handcrafting custom wooden dibbers used by the planting teams and rallying enthusiasm across the district.

• David Footit (Rotary Club of Dunstable) and the District 1260 Public Image Team for managing the welcome desk, greeting visitors, and informing members of the public about Rotary's global mission.

• Sheran Ridley (Luton Someries Rotary Club) for coordinating with Girlguiding Bedfordshire. A sincere thank you is extended to the young leaders, Rainbows, Brownies, Girl Guides, and their supportive parents who worked tirelessly throughout the day.

• Visiting Delegation from District 3060 (Gujarat, India) for joining the planting effort and demonstrating the strength of international Rotary fellowship.

Strong representation was shown by clubs across District 1260, including Ampthill, Barton-le-Clay, Luton Someries, Dunstable, Baldock, Hitchin Tilehouse, Brookmans Park Hertswood, St Albans Verulamium, and Hemel Hempstead.

The Significance of the Purple Crocus

The purple crocus serves as the global emblem of Rotary’s Purple4Polio campaign. It symbolizes the purple dye applied to a child’s little finger during mass immunisation campaigns to signify that they have received the oral polio vaccine.

Since Rotary and its international partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, wild poliovirus cases worldwide have been reduced by more than 99.9%. While wild poliovirus remains endemic in only two countries—Afghanistan and Pakistan—continuous surveillance, disease monitoring, and rapid reporting remain essential to ensure complete global eradication.

Looking Forward

The district team looks forward to returning to Wrest Park in February 2027, when the crocuses will bloom into a vibrant purple carpet, standing as a visible symbol of Rotary’s commitment to a polio-free world.

To view coverage of the event, please visit the District 1260 video gallery or social media channels.