Uckfield Rotary raises awareness with purple flowers on World Polio Day

Uckfield Rotary Club braved the rain on October 24 to raise funds and awareness for World Polio Day, image courtesy of Ron Hill

The charity set up a gazebo on Uckfield’s High Street and provided the public with information on the reduction of polio cases in the last 30 years.

World Polio Day was established by Rotary International more than a decade ago to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk.

Salk led the first team to develop a vaccine against the disease.

More than 4,000 crocus bulbs were given away to members of the public in exchange for a small donation.

When the bulbs flower, they will bloom purple crocuses to symbolize purple dye applied to the fingers of children who have been vaccinated against the disease.

In 20 years, cases of polio have reduced by 99.9% from 250,000 to less than 100. In 2018, the number of polio endemic countries had dropped from 125 to just three.

Rotary has helped immunise over 2.5 billion children globally since 1985.

To find out more about the work of Rotary International, visit the charity’s website here.