Purple gain for colourful hotel

MANY people are wondering why an historic Southport hotel has suddenly turned purple.

The beautiful façade of the Royal Clifton Hotel & Spa was lit up in purple lights yesterday and today to lend its support to World Polio Day 2019 on Thursday.

Originally dating back to 1855, the grand Victorian landmark - one of Southport’s oldest buildings - has played host to a number of celebrity guests over the years including Marlene Dietrich, Bing Crosby, Dame Shirley Bassey and Jack Nicklaus.

The Four Rotary Clubs in Southport - The Southport Club, Southport Links, Southport Meols and Southport Sunrise are all working together to raise awareness of the End Polio Now appeal and collect much needed funds to immunise children against the terrible disease.

Information about the appeal will be available inside the hotel all week along with a donation point at the hotel reception.

Every single pound raised is double matched by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and each vaccine costs just 15p. President-elect at Southport Rotary Club, Dianne Harrison, said: “There are only two countries in the world now which aren’t polio-free which are Afghanistan and Pakistan.

“We are proud to be marking World Polio Day locally and recognising the work of Rotary and our partners and the millions of people involved in so many ways in the fight for a polio free world.

“Only together can we end polio and we can all play our part in the continuing global efforts to eradicate polio.”

Members of the clubs will meet at 7pm on World

Polio Day outside the hotel.

If visitors like, they can wear something purple to celebrate the hard work done so far and to show solidarity.

Purple crocus badges will be available to buy for a donation of £1.

Dianne said: “The colour purple has become a symbolic colour in the fight against polio. It has been inspired by the colour of the dye painted on the little finger of a child to signify they have received a potentially life-saving polio vaccine.”

To find out more about the End Polio Now appeal, please visit rotarygbi.org