Free Portland News

I believe that some of you may have forgotten, so may I please remind you that, by the time you read this latest missive from the Rotary Cub, there will be a little over 2 months to Christmas - yes, it is that close.
I was reminded of this at the Table Top Sale in aid of a Hedgehog Friendly Portland at the weekend, and a heartfelt thank you to all those who made the effort to support us.
I appreciate that this was the weekend when we all said Farewell to the Lady we, in the Portland Rotary Club know as Our Lady Of The Manor - the Queen - but we felt that she would have wished us to carry on with our efforts to help organisations on the Island.  So we did.
It was lovely getting back to see so many old friends, and make new ones, after out summer break.
I was looking at the mass of goods on offer - and immediately thought that, with just two more Table Top Sales before Christmas, these might be wonderful opportunities to purchase some small gifts or cards for your loved ones and friends in time for the Festive Season.  Bargains galore. At the same time you would be supporting, on 8th. October the St. John Ambulance, and, on 12th. November Julia's House.  Both these organisations do a tremendous amount of good in our local communities and are worthy of our support.  And, in case you have missed it, our bacon butties at £1 each are superb value for money!  See you then?
Every year (apart from when Covid strikes) Rotary Clubs celebrate the year with  our annual President's Night, and our club did just that recently - with no Covid restrictions.  Our President, Mark Townsend has had a great year so far, but is still only in the first half of his reign.  We had a wonderful dinner and dance courtesy of the Masonic Hall and I have to confess that I was still dancing the last dance as midnight approached - the first time I have danced for a number of years.  It was wonderful to be getting back to normal again, and a great way of thanking Mark for all that he is doing for our club.
I have been asked about polio as a number of you have read reports of positive samples in London.
The injectable polio vaccine that we now use in this country contains a killed virus and so cannot mutate and cause polio.  The oral vaccine we use in the developing world contains a live virus which is cheaper, travels better in hot climes, and is administered simply by putting two drops of vaccine onto a kiddie's tongue and so does not need a doctor or nurse to administer it.  Having said that, the oral vaccine can pass through the children's digestive systems and can then end up in the sewers - where it can be detected. The injectable vaccine we use does not go through the gut and so cannot enter the sewers.
The risk of course is that once in the sewers, any child who has not been vaccinated fully and who gets in contact with this viruses could develop paralytic polio.   So far that has not happened in London.  Perhaps I could add that, in Israel, we have been getting some positive samples for many years, but because of the high level of immunity there thanks to their vaccination policy, nobody has contracted the disease.  We presume that the positive samples in London come from a child who has been vaccinated abroad and has come to this country for good, or as a visitor.  As I have said, repeatedly - polio is only a plane-ride away but, as long as our children are vaccinated, there should not be a problem.
So, in case we miss you at the last two Table Top Sales of the year- we do not have one in December - may I wish you all a Very Happy Christmas and all the best for a Covid-Free 2023.  However, I very much hope to see you supporting St. John Ambulance and Julia's House.  Who knows, someone may even offer to buy me a bacon buttie!
Keith