Rotarians were digging deep
Club support for polio campaign
Sarah Jane McDonald The Rotary Club of Alloway got their gardening gloves on this week as they planted an impressive display of purple crocuses to raise awareness for Polio.
The club have been working alongside the Rotary Foundation, the World Health Organisation and the Gates Foundation to support the eradication of the incurable viral disease which mainly affects young children which only now remains in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria.
The team were joined by the South Ayrshire Council Ground Maintenance Team and Councillor Leader, Bill Grant as they planted bulbs at Murdoch’s Loan, Ayr, which they hope will be making an appearance this spring to show their support to the Purple 4 Polio campaign.
Rotary Club of Alloway spokesman, Peter Ball said: “The purple crocus is a symbol of Rotary’s worldwide campaign to eradicate polio, with its colour representing the purple dye used to mark the finger of a child who has been immunised.
“Here in Alloway, we are doing our bit and this week with the help of South Ayrshire Council’s parks and recreation department, 10,000 corms were planted beside Murdoch’s Loan near Alloway Church and the Burns Museum.
“We are eagerly awaiting them to bloom in the spring, and this is the beginning of our plans to accompany them and continue to raise awareness of this worthy cause.”
Councillor Bill Grant added:“The Rotary Club’s been campaigning to eradicate polio for more than thirty years, and we’re proud to support this worthwhile campaign.
“Through this simple planting we’re becoming part of a worldwide effort to eradicate this debilitating disease, something that we hope can be achieved in the very near future.”