Five Local Winslow Rotarians volunteer in polio mercy dash to India

Jo Gower from Winslow, Angie & David Sibthorp and Bob & Pat Curtis are self-funding a trip to join 90 Rotary volunteers from across Great Britain and Ireland They are flying out to India to join local Rotary members and health agencies to immunise millions of tiny vulnerable children in the hardest hit areas. Pat has been inspired to accompany her President to take part in the NID on the 28th January 2018. Pats Auntie Jean, contracted polio in her 20’s whilst pregnant with twins and has battled her disability all her life.

Jo, President of Winslow Rotary Club together with her 4 colleagues, will be working alongside local volunteers in Delhi, Kolkata, Bhiwadi, Amritsar and surrounding high-risk villages, reaching and protecting millions of children. This includes house-to-house visits for impoverished families who cannot travel to the vaccination booths.

She says the extra help makes a huge difference to protecting India from this crippling and, at times, fatal disease: “Rotarians and other volunteers go out twice a year to help Rotary clubs in the area reach as many children as possible. There are other regular vaccination events but these larger National Immunisation Days (NID) draw huge numbers of children and families. Visiting Rotarians have a curiosity value which attracts children in the slums and remote villages who do not meet many British people.