Everything is coming up Crocuses !

Rotary International has been working with the World Health Organisation , the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other organisations since 1985 to rid the world of this vile disease for good.

In that time the number of cases has dropped from over 350,000 per year to just 29 last year - a drop of 99.9%.  Only two countries - Pakistan and Afghanistan are still endemic and so far this year just a total of 6 cases have been reported.

We really are this close to making Polio only the second disease to be totally eradicated.

Polio tends to affect children under 5 and for this reason mass vaccinations are carried out by teams of volunteers.  To distinguish at these sessions which children have received the vaccine  one of their fingers is painted with a purple dye - hence the symbolic purple crocus adopted by Rotary.

In the last few years Medway Sunlight has planted thousands of crocuses on the bunds at St Mary's Island Island , at St Mary's Island School and on roundabouts and this year at Broomhill Park and the Snapdragons Childrens Centre both in Strood.

To find out more and if you wish to donate to help acheive the final destruction of Polio for good please go to https://endpolio.org