Planting to mark efforts to fight polio

Thousands of crocus bulbs have been planted in Sleaford to mark the work done by Rotary to help rid the world of a crippling disease.

Over almost 100 years its charity the Rotary Foundation, has spent more than £3 billion on humanitarian programmes across the world, including the formidable task to help get rid of polio.

Rotary says that task has very nearly been achieved with only small pockets of cases still remaining.

Next year, the charity will celebrate its centennial anniversary and to mark the occasion, the Rotary Club of Sleaford, together with pupils from the William Alvey Primary School and Sleaford In Bloom, planted more than 8000 crocus bulbs in the town.

The purple bulbs will explode into colour next February and March on Gregson Green and alongside the footpath leading into Sleaford as a reminder of the work that is still on-going.

President for the Rotary Club of Sleaford Alan Thomas said: “About 20 children helped us to plant the bulbs. Most of the children would not have heard of polio, as the last contracted case in the UK was in 1985.

“We talked to the children about polio and the work that Rotary are doing.

“There are only three countries in the world now that have polio. These are Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. What has been achieved so far is tremendous.”