Banstead Rotary Purple 4 Polio

Banstead Rotary Club and the Banstead Horticultural Society have joined forces to supervise the planting of 8000 crocus corms on the verges alongside Banstead Library, and on the Green in front of the shops by Tattenham Corner. We have been ably helped by our Corporate Rotary Partner Banstead Manor Hallmark Carehome, Banstead Village In Bloom and pupils from the Beacon School.

The planting began on Friday 22 October in the morning when a group of members from Banstead Rotary, Banstead Horticultural Society, and Banstead Village In Bloom began digging up the verge by Banstead Library and planting the first 4000 crocuses, under the supervision of Rotarians.

Our club dinner meeting on 2 November was very busy. Not only did we have an entertaining speaker it was also the time of the year when Rotary Clubs mark World Polio Day!

13 members and guests sat down to dinner. Everyone wore purple!

A raffle raised over £58 at the polio related event!

Past President John Draper explained the background to the global campaign to eradicate polio and the International work of Rotary - a true Purple4Polio event!

On Monday 15 November it was the turn of the Mayor of Reigate and Banstead Councillor Jill Bray, pupils from The Beacon School year 8 with teachers Richard O’Hanlon and Jo Joannou , as well as Andy from our Corporate Rotary partner Banstead Manor Carehome, Banstead Horticultural Society and local residents to team up with Banstead Rotary to help plant the next batch of 4000 corms.

Jill generously paid for the Tattenham Corner crocuses because her husband, Mayoral Consort Richard Mantle suffered from polio as an 18 month old.

Banstead Residents will be able to enjoy the crocuses when they emerge in Spring. The planting represents a pretty little stream winding round some ponds!

The pupils worked hard and were a great credit to The Beacon School.

Why are we doing this? Since 1985 Rotary’s 1.4 million members worldwide have been working hard to rid the world of polio, a crippling disease that severely disables and even kills children. The purple crocus corms planted here and across Britain and Ireland during the Autumn each symbolise the purple dye painted on the little fingers of the 3 billion children worldwide when they have been vaccinated.

To help raise money for the immunisations the Rotary movement has adopted the purple crocus.

They will flower each February when Rotary celebrates its birthday.

To find out how you can help to eradicate polio worldwide, or, for more information about the work of Rotary contact Banstead Rotary on the website www.bansteadrotary.com and you can find photos

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Membership of the Club is open to men and women. For information on joining please contact us via social media and we will be pleased to help you.