Rotary Club of Wymondham transforms town meadow into a sea of purple to mark success in polio fight
From left, Philip Richardson, Michelle Tusting, Hugh Tusting and Peter Tusting, in front of the crocus corms in Wymondham. Picture: STUART ANDERSON - Credit: Archant
A Wymondham meadow is looking blooming marvellous following the planting of thousands of crocus corms.
The crocus corms in Wymondham. Picture: STUART ANDERSON - Credit: Archant
The Rotary Club of Wymondham has planted 5,000 of the strikingly purple flowers to celebrate Rotary International's involvement in the campaign to eradicate polio.
The blooms, at The Fairland, are part of a Rotary project in association with The Royal Horticultural Society called Purple4Polio, which aims to plant about six million of the flowers across the UK.
Terry Hickman Smith, from the club, said: 'The International Rotary organisation has been raising billions of pounds in association with the Bill and Mellissa Gates Foundation to eradicate polio worldwide.
'The aim has almost been achieved with just three countries remaining where there are still some cases prevalent – Afghanistan, northern Pakistan and Nigeria.
From left, Philip Richardson, Michelle Tusting, Hugh Tusting and Peter Tusting, in front of the crocus corms in Wymondham. Picture: STUART ANDERSON - Credit: Archant
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'We are all very aware that we must not give up the struggle until we are sure that polio will never strike anyone again.'
The Bill and Mellissa Gates Foundation donates £2 for to the fight against polio for every £1 Rotary International raises.
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The crocuses were planted in November.
The Rotary club is now planning to hold an open evening at the Park Farm Hotel in Hethersett on Tuesday, March 21 from 7pm.
The meeting is an opportunity for prospective members to learn more about the club and what it does. Wymondham Rotary has a main club which meets every Monday lunchtime at the Green Dragon pub in Wymondham for an hour-and-a-half.
Each meeting usually includes a meal and a guest speaker or structured discussion.
The club also has a satellite group which meets every second Tuesday evening for an hour.
Peter Tusting, also from the club, said: 'We do quite a lot in the community and we're very proud of being Rotarians.'
Both teams work with the community and raise money for local and international causes, and have raised more than £25,000 for East Anglia Children's Hospices' nook appeal.
The Wymondham branch has also made an annual donation of £1,000 to the fight against polio for the past 15 years.
Have you got a story? Email reporter Stuart Anderson at stuart.anderson@archant.co.uk
