HELPING end Polio now and forever, Holsworthy Rotary Club joined thousands of other Rotary clubs around the world in supporting World Polio Day 2018 on Wednesday, October 24.

They are now busy organising the planting of about 9,000 purple crocus corms at various locations in the local area.

Holsworthy Rotary president Margaret Benjafield said: “Eliminating polio from the world is a long-standing goal for Rotary. We’re proud to be doing what we can to support the cause here in Holsworthy.

“Of course, the crocuses we shall be planting are both a welcome springtime boost around the town, and a reminder of the important work that our colleagues are doing throughout the world.”

The purple crocus has become a symbol of the Rotary’s fight to end polio — the colour purple represents the colour of the dye placed on a child’s finger to show they have been immunised against the disease.

Across the UK almost 2.5-million purple crocuses will be planted around World Polio Day, adding to the millions planted in recent years, which will bloom into a carpet of purple next spring.

Rotary and its partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) over 30 years ago, when the hope was that the disease would be eradicated by the year 2000. Since then the incidence of polio worldwide has plummeted by more than 99.99% from about 350,000 cases a year in 125 countries, to just 22 cases in 2017 and just three remaining polio-endemic countries — Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria. But, 2018 has been far from easy, with 14 cases in the first eight months of the year.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will match Rotary’s commitment 2:1 so every £1 the Rotary Clubs can raise becomes £3. Without full funding and political commitment, this paralysing disease could return to previously polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk, including the UK.