World Polio Day took place on 23rd October 2018. To mark this occasion Runcorn Rotary and Friends of Rotary were involved in the Annual project.
For over 30 years, Rotary and its members have been committed to fighting to eradicate polio across the world. The amount of polio-endemic countries has dropped from 125 to just 3, with over 2.5 billion children receiving vaccinations thanks to the help of Rotary. With eradication now closer than ever, Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland’s latest campaign, Purple4Polio, is designed to unite communities to engage in activities as part of the final push to eradicate polio for good.

This year we returned to Norton Priory Gardens to join with Rotarians and Friends of Rotary to plant 5,000 Crocus corms on the entrance to the site. The site was prepared firstly by the gardener before we sprang into action. Even passers-by joined in the planting. This year so far there have only been 22 reported cases of wild polio virus compared with 1,000s of cases per day about 30 years ago.

It was a great afternoon and our helpers really enjoyed the experience and learning all about the work that the Rotary Club has been doing to help eradicate Polio across the world.

Over the last 3 years we planted 5,000 crocus corms at the Town Hall with local pupils; 5,000 in New Town Park and 10,000 now at Norton Priory.

Since 2016 Rotary has developed links with the Royal Horticultural Society to achieve this project.