World Polio Day 24 October 21

ROTARY IS DEFEATING POLIO WORLDWIDE

Thanet Rotary President Jim Nicholson and President Elect John Reid were delighted to join Sue and Frank, volunteers from the Broadstairs Town Team Garden Group, in planting purple crocuses to mark World Polio Day, 24^th October. Purple dye is painted on the little finger of a child to signify they have received a potentially life-saving polio vaccine and has become a symbolic colour in the fight against polio.

The crocus bed at the Louisa Bay Access Road beds is maintained by the Garden Group. The volunteers collaborated with Broadstairs Rotary in 2020 to plant 4,000 bulbs donated by that club. Thanet Rotary’s donation of more bulbs will help enrich and spread the crocuses in this much visited part of Broadstairs.

Thousands of Rotary clubs across the world are marking World Polio Day to raise awareness, funds and support to end polio. This vaccine preventable disease still threatens children in parts of the world. If not eradicated, it is estimated that, within 10 years, as many as 200,000 children annually all over the world could succumb to polio.

Globally, more than 2.5 billion children have been protected against the disease. Rotary has committed to raising US$50 million each year to support global polio eradication and, thanks to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, every £1 raised is matched 2-to-1.

In August 2020, Africa, which includes 47 countries, was certified free from wild polio.

This leaves just Pakistan and Afghanistan as the two remaining polio endemic countries. But despite this momentous progress, more challenging work lies ahead to eradicate the disease for good.

We have seen over the past two years with COVID-19, that disease anywhere, is a threat to everyone, everywhere. We’ve also seen the power of vaccines and community togetherness, and Rotary clubs across Thanet have played their part.

Rotary has directly contributed more than US$2.1 billion to ending polio since 1985, including almost £4,000 contributed by the Rotary Club of Thanet.

Formed in 1983, Thanet Rotary has been supporting the community for 38 years. Members are committed to working with others to eliminate this potentially deadly virus and make Rotary's dream of a polio free world a reality.

The club also support The Pilgrims Hospice, Oasis, The Millmead Centre, Porchlight and other local charities as well as International charitable projects

Anyone wishing to find out more about Rotary is encouraged to visit the Thanet club website or Facebook. Explore the contact menu and get in touch.