Today is World Polio Day and Great Britain and Ireland is being bathed in purple.
Across the British Isles, a number of events are being staged to mark this landmark day and publicise Rotary’s bid, with other key agencies such as the World Health Organisation, to totally eradicate polio.
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative, formed in 1988, is a public-private partnership which includes Rotary, the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, along with governments of the world.
Rotary’s focus is advocacy, fundraising, volunteer recruitment and awareness-building.
Across Great Britain and Ireland, tens of thousands of crocus corms are being planted, and buildings are being lit in purple – the colour dye which is painted on the fingers of children who have been immunised against polio.
Already this week, Rotary Bangor in Gwynedd have been engaged in an ambitious project entitled ‘Lighting Up the Straits Purple’.
It was a wacky idea. Initially the plan was to turn the cathedral purple and it spiralled from there.”
A number of key places in the North Wales town have been lit up, including The Bulkeley Hotel in Beaumaris, Bangor Cathedral and Bangor University.
Kate Maskell explained how the idea developed from fellow member, Barrie Freeman.
“It was a wacky idea,” admitted Kate.
“Initially the plan was to turn the cathedral purple and it spiralled from there.
“We started planning this in late July which proved to be a short span of time to get everything in place.
“We had also hoped to arrange to have the two bridges across the Strait bathed in purple, but we found it difficult to contact the correct person at the highways agencies to give the required permission.”
The Rotary club received £2,500 in sponsorship from four local companies: Hogan Brothers, Siemens, Anchor and CCG.
The first night on Monday didn’t go to plan. Cadw, the Welsh equivalent of English Heritage, had failed to turn the castles purple as promised.
However, Rotary Bangor were hoping to rectify that on Tuesday night.
The initiative has been backed up by an impressive media campaign.
Bulkeley Hotel shines bright to raise awareness of Rotary’s campaign
The club has also set up information stands in Beaumaris, Caernarfon and Bangor to let people know about the Purple4Polio campaign and put Rotary in the spotlight.
On World Polio Day, the Our Ladies School is having a no uniform day on the day when all students will be everyone encouraged to wear purple.
The RotaKids presented to the whole school the reason behind the campaign.
