Rotary club continues with fundraising events to raise awareness of polio

The club held an awareness event in Cannock town on market day, decorating the band stand with purple ribbons and handing out leaflets on polio.

The club has purchased 5,000 purple crocus corms, which have been divided into smaller parcels and handed out to local schools across the area, the aim is that the schools pupils plant the corms in the school grounds in a pattern to represent their school, which will be judged in the spring of 2025 with a prize being awarded to the school with the best display. The schools have also been provided with information on the significance of purple crocus being the flowers associated with polio eradication.   

Last Saturday, the Rotary club of Cannock held a purple Beetle Drive at St Luke’s church hall to raise much needed funds to help to eradicate polio across the world. The event themed on the colour purple, was very low tech with people using paper and pencil and rolling the dice to draw their beetle. There was also a raffle for mystery prizes all wrapped up in plain purple paper with no one knowing what was inside the box until it was opened.                             

The night also included a fish and chip supper. Club President David Marklew, said: "The night was a lot of fun for everyone which raised £420 with the ticket sales, raffle and auction of purple teddy bears. The money will go to the End Polio Now campaign along with the £43 we raised at the awareness."

The Cannock club is currently preparing for their Christmas programme of collection events at local supermarkets, which will see Santa in his sleigh, giving children the opportunity to meet Santa and his helpers. Children are encouraged to bring along letters and lists and have a photograph with Santa at no cost other than a voluntary charitable donation.

For more information about where to see the Rotary Santa visit cannockrotary.co.uk .