Crocuses are in bloom to stop Polio!

Banstead Rotary has donated another 4,000 crocus bulbs to brighten up our Borough’s environment and publicise Rotary efforts to Stop Polio!

Planting in Banstead: this year’s bulbs were planted in Autumn 2023 at the Library verge by Rotary, Banstead Village In Bloom and The Beacon School. They are now in bloom in February and will last until March. They provide a splash of colour to confirm that Spring is on the way!

We thank Reigate and Banstead Borough for allowing us to do this.

We have planted bulbs around the area in previous years:

• The Orchard in front of All Saints’ Church at various points

• The Banstead Library lawn has this display

• The verges by the Library several plantings

• The verge opposite the War Memorial

• The Green at Tattenham Corner

What is Polio?

Polio, poliomyelitis, is a paralysing and potentially deadly infectious disease that most commonly affects children under the age of 5. The virus spreads from person to person, typically through contaminated water. It can then attack the nervous system.

Rotary International Goal

Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 35 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 cases by 99.9 per cent since our first project to vaccinate children in The Philippines in 1879.

Rotary members have contributed more than $2.1 billion  and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries from this paralysing disease. Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by governments to contribute more than $10 billion to the effort.

Today polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. To date 21 February 2024 there have been no cases reported!But, it’s crucial to continue working to keep  other countries polio- free. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years , polio could paralyse as many as 200,000 each year.