Each year on October 24, the Rotary Club of Rye and Winchelsea recognise World Polio Day.
This year there’s a tea, coffee and cake day at the Rye Community Centre between 10am and 2pm on Saturday October 25. Entry is £5.00 and if you check out the What’s On page in Rye News you can get more details.
Also, thanks to the kind permission of the owners, The Hub on Rye Hill, Ypres Castle museum and St Marys’ Church Rye will be lit up in the colour purple, between October 20-31.
The colour purple is used to identify those vaccinated.
Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 40 years. Our goal of ridding the world of this disease is closer than ever. As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, we’ve reduced polio cases by 99.9% since our first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979.
Today, polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But it’s crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio-free.
Club President Venetia Sanders said: “It is now 40 years since Rotary began the battle against Polio. As the world marks World Polio Day this October, Rotarians can take pride in a remarkable legacy: 40 years of unwavering commitment to the dream of a
polio-free world.
“What began in 1985 as a bold pledge by Rotary International has grown into one of the
most ambitious public health partnerships in history, saving millions of children from
paralysis and bringing humanity to the brink of eradication. As well as tea, coffee and cake days, there are a number of sites in our community planted with purple crocus as part of Rotary campaign to end polio, including Valley Park, East Guldeford and the Hub on Rye Hill, to remind us of our campaign.
“Come and chat on Saturday October 25 over tea, coffee and cake and discover more about Polio and your local Rotary Club.”
Image Credits: Kt bruce .