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End Polio Now

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thank you crocus

World Polio Day is used every year as a focus for awareness-raising and fundraising by Rotary Clubs across the world in order to rid the world of Polio. The goal of the World Health Organisation and its partners is to eradicate Polio by 2018!

Here in Banbury, throughout October pupils from Banbury Academy, Blessed George Napier, Bloxham, Chenderit, Frank Wise, North Oxfordshire Academy, Sibford, Tudor Hall and The Warriner will again plant 500 “Ruby Giant” crocus bulbs at chosen locations on or near each school site.

A further 1000 bulbs will planted on Friday 24th October outside St Mary’s Church, Banbury and in People’s Park.

Forty boxes of attractive crocus lapel badges will be on sale at various outlets throughout the town for £1 a badge.

Last year the Rotary Club of Banbury worked in partnership with local secondary schools on a collaborative project to play our local part in the worldwide effort to raise the funds required to reach the goal.

Together we raised enough funding to immunise 45,000 children. 45,000 is equal to the population of Banbury!

Can we do still better this year?

We are delighted that the schools have once again agreed to participate. Next spring, the 2015 “CROCUS CONCERTS” will be staged at St Mary’s Church, Banbury in March to support the “End Polio Now” Campaign.

Pupils who started secondary school in September 2013 will be living in a polio-free world by the time they take their GCSEs if the partners in the “End Polio Now” Campaign meet their target. This project is our local contribution to the international effort.

Where else can you turn £1 into £3 for a good cause by buying a badge? Every £1 per crocus badge sold will be trebled by the Bill & Melissa Gates Foundation!

The Town Mayor will wear a crocus badge for the week prior to 24th.

The Taxi drivers of Banbury are in support by wearing badges whilst driving around the town during the next 3 weeks.

If all forty boxes of crocus badges are sold we will raise £6000 – enough to vaccinate over 18000 children.

Planting takes place in People’s Park on the 20th Oct at 10am and in the churchyard of St Mary’s Church on World Polio Day – 24th October at 10am. The nine Secondary Schools will be planting during October as weather permits.

All money raised will go directly to the Polio Eradication Campaign.

 Further details from:

  • www.polioeradication.org
  • www.endpolio.org
  • www.ribi.org/what-we-do/RIBI-projects/polio-eradication
  • Or google ‘Rotary Crocus Campaign’.