Black Tie Dinner with a difference!

 

Let's Grow Together to End Polio Now

The Purple4Polio campaign has been used by Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland to create awareness of the ongoing need to raise money to continue the Polio Eradication programme which began in the 1980s and for which Rotary and Rotarians worldwide have raised so much money. Over the last few years, Bristol Breakfast Rotary Club and other Rotary clubs in Bristol have planted purple crocuses in many parts of the city including Durdham Downs, Castle Park and in the grounds of Temple Church.

Despite the extraordinary challenges that face all of us during 2020, we were still able to celebrate World Polio Day on 24^th October this year and help raise awareness to ‘End Polio Now’.

Whilst it has not been possible to engage with one group and complete a mass planting activity as has been the case in previous years, we have been able to enlist the support of a number of organizations this year.

As a result, we have gone some way in raising that awareness with many people across Bristol, particularly younger people – a key ingredient if we are to maintain our focus and goal of supporting the eradication of this infectious disease across the world; for it is young people who have embraced this initiative this year and have actively helped to plant the 4,000 crocus bulbs we have sourced.

Our thanks go to the following organisations;

Firstly our headline charity this year, The Green House, and the planting support from Sue Santi and Una Tracy

For more details about the fantastic work of the Green House, go to:

www.the-green-house.org.uk

The Bridge Learning Campus - The students together with Liz Hackling Assistant Headteacher, Ally Bigwood, School Business Manager and Ray Cockram, Learning Mentor at the Bridge Learning Campus

Whitehall Primary School - The Primary Age Children, Lesley Broom EYFS Lead and Lynsey Mckean, Outdoor Learning Lead & Reception Teacher at Whitehall Primary School

Bristol 9th Rainbows and Brownies and the support of Wendy Hughes

Brownies and Rainbows have been learning about the importance of Rotary’s End Polio Now campaign and they are helping to communicate this to their families and friends.

Each individual Brownie or Rainbow member has decorated a plant pot with the words End Polio Now and a Rotary Roundel in which they have planted Purple Crocus bulbs purchased and provided by Bristol Breakfast Rotary Club to raise funds for the End Polio Now campaign.

The pack’s Brown Owl told Rotarian Tony Hughes how well the session had worked “The Brownies were told of the similarities between Rotary and the Guide movement, in particular,

• That both were international organisations.
• How Rotary’s main motto which is “Service above Self” is so similar to the Brownie law which includes the words “A Brownie Guide thinks of others before themselves…”

Being taught about the polio virus during the Covid-19 pandemic was particularly poignant. They were thankful that Polio has a vaccine and

• shown how this is administered.
• They were also told that when a child receives their life-saving polio drops on mass polio immunisation days, their little finger is painted with a purple dye so it is clear they have received their polio vaccine. To help them to appreciate the fact that they have had the vaccine, they all had their little fingers painted purple.”

We also thank the support of St. Paul’s Adventure Playground with special thanks to Sue Santi

St. Pauls Adventure Playground run by APE Project CIC

Finally and not forgetting those in residential care at this most difficult time, we have bulbs planted at Collingwood Residential Care Home and we thank Wendy Pullin and her team for their support.

If you would like to know more about Rotary would like to contribute to the End Polio Campaign please just get in touch. http://www.bristolbreakfastrotary.org.uk/

Further information

When Rotary and its partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, there were 350,000 cases of polio in 125 countries every year. We’ve made great progress against the disease since then. Today, polio cases have been reduced by 99.9 percent, and just two countries continue to report cases of wild poliovirus: Afghanistan and Pakistan. And we remain committed to the end.

With polio nearly eradicated, Rotary and its partners must sustain this progress and continue to reach every child with the polio vaccine. Without full funding and political commitment, this paralyzing disease could return to polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk. Rotary has committed to raising US$50 million each year to support global polio eradication efforts. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged to match that 2-to-1, for a total yearly contribution of $150 million. 

Rotary has contributed more than $2.1 billion to ending polio since 1985

About Rotary

Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbours, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who unite and take action to create lasting change in communities around the globe. For more than 110 years, Rotary’s people of action have used their passion, energy, and intelligence to improve lives through service. From promoting literacy and peace to providing clean water and improving health care, Rotary members are always working to better the world.