Purple4Polio 2025

Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 35 years, when it started the Programme to eliminate Polio in just one village in one Rotary district in the Philippines in 1979.  From that small start, the Programme has spread all around the world and Rotary is a founder member of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, and its efforts have reduced polio cases by 99.9% since it started vaccinating children 45 years ago. 

Last year the number of cases of wild polio, all in the border area between Pakistan and Afghanistan, had risen significantly and there are 98 reported cases.

Purple Pinkies

It is customary in endemic countries to identify children who have received their polio vaccine by staining one of their fingers purple.  A key Rotary Program in this End Polio push to eradicate polio around the world is Rotary’s Purple4Polio campaign, recognising this purple staining by planting millions of purple crocus corms. 

As part of Rotary’s End Polio Now effort in the U.K., we decided for the third year in a row, to plant another 4,000 purple crocus corms.  This year we sowed them in the lawn outside Radstocks apartment block on Stock Road, where many passers-by will see them.

Exciting Initiative

We first planted Crocuses in October 2022 around the Billericay town sign on the green at the junction of Mountnessing and London roads.  This was followed in October 2023 around the Billericay town sign at the northern boundry of the town on Stock road, and finally, in November 2024, the Radstocks planting reported last year.

Our “Exciting Initiative” did not go unnoticed.  We received a copy of a letter sent to the Residents of this appartment block by its Management Company, praising Rotary for its dedication “to raising awareness for the ongoing global effort to eradicate Polio,” and looking forward to a “vibrant display of crocuses” and a “positive addition to the community”.

Fearing the worst

We awaited the Spring with great anticipation for a fine show of 4,000 freshly planted bulbs. But what happened?  The initial plantings from 2022 appeared first around the Mountnessing road sign, and a day later, the flowers at the Stock Road sign.  A lot of shoots and buds at first, then, in the glorious sun of the first week of March, full flowering and a glorious display, especially at the Stock Road sign.

But at Radstocks there was no sign at all - just half a dozen spindly flowers!  Had we left the planting too late?  Would we get any reward for our efforts?

We just had to wait and see, ... and hope.

But all was not lost.  After the warmest March weekend for 100 years, the crocuses started to come through and by March 14 they were in full bloom, delighting all the passers-by.

They made a spectacular sight.  A real display of Purple For Polio.