The Rotary and Inner Wheel Clubs of Frome have raised over £3,000 to support efforts to eradicate polio around the world.
To mark World Polio Day, which was held on Thursday 24th October, Frome joined other Rotary clubs around Great Britain and Ireland to raise awareness and donations for the Rotary campaign to ‘End Polio Now’ and forever.
The Frome branch raised funds through their charity pop-up shop in the Westway Precinct, where Rotary club member and former mayor of Frome, Phil Whitmarsh, shared his book I’m Not Prepared to Accept That: My Tussle with Polio, which details his experience of contracting polio as a child in Frome
“I am absolutely committed to the polio cause; no-one needs to ever suffer from it again,” says Phil, who is born and bred in Frome and is a long-time supporter in the fight against polio.
A total of £3,125 was raised in the shop, including a very generous Gift Aided donation from the recipient of Phil’s book. hanks to the Rotary Foundation’s partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, where every £1 raised is matched to become £3, the funds will translate to £9,375 going towards the campaign.
“Rotary clubs across the world have contributed more than US$1.8 billion to ending polio since 1985, including contributions made by the Frome Clubs,” explained a member of Frome’s branch Richard Lines.
Along with raising funds in the charity shop, the Memorial Theatre was also lit to signify ‘Purple for Polio’ and members of the club planted purple crocus corms on the Old Showfield.
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 to indicate they have received their life-saving oral polio vaccine.
Presidents of Frome Town Rotary, Penny Lines and Lorraine Griffiths, said, “We are pleased to be involved with such an important project to eradicate polio in the world.”
President of Frome Rotary Club, Kim Barter, said, “We are excited to be able to hold these polio activities and in a small Frome way support this worldwide campaign.”
Richard said, “Since Rotary and its partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1985, the incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99.99%, from about 350,000 cases a year in 125 countries to just two cases in 2023. Even though Afghanistan and Pakistan are the remaining polio-endemic countries, the recent news of polio being reported in Gaza is worrying and shows the need for continued action to vaccinate children in affected areas.”
If you would like to know more about the fight to eradicate Polio or other Rotary activities, please call into the shop in the Westway Centre or email fromerotary@gmail.com.
