Purple Crocus Planting October 2019

You may have noticed some bulb planting activity around the Scout hut and at other sites around Westhill recently.

Westhill Beavers, Cubs and Scouts have been taking part in Rotary Great Britain and Ireland’s Purple4Polio initiative, which looks to raise funds and awareness of their efforts to eradicate polio across the world and promote the work of their global campaign, "End Polio Now."

When a child receives their life saving polio drops on mass polio immunisation days in many countries their little finger is painted with a purple dye so it is clear they have received their life saving vaccine.

Rotary use purple crocus planting by community groups as an engagement activity to raise awareness.

Westhill Rotary -with the help from Westhill Scout Group have had 8,000 bulbs to plant and last week Amazon Beavers helped plant a great number in a sloped area beside the scout hut which should bloom in the shape of the scouting fleur-de-lis emblem. ⚜️ Rotarian Allan Wink gave a short talk to let the Beavers know about the disease and the work to eradicate Polio in Africa and the Indian sub-continent.

A second area has also been planted around the new Sculpture by the A944 roundabout.  Westwood Scouts assisted Rotarians with this large circle of planted bulbs

Planting was also undertaken by a team from Rotary around the Tim Baillie Paddle sculpture by  Westhill Drive. 

Participation not only increases their knowledge and awareness of polio and other countries but the planting contributes towards a variety of Scouting badges.

We will look forward to seeing the fruits of their efforts in the spring when the flowers bloom.