Priory Rotary Walk Raises Funds for World Polio Day

Monday October 24th was World Polio Day, and several members of Priory Rotary, along with friends and partners, joined together in a walk as part of the International Rotary campaign aimed at eradicating polio worldwide. Victims of polio frequently suffer paralysis and muscle wasting, requiring them to wear callipers to walk or even confining them to a wheelchair. To show solidarity with polio sufferers, Rotarians across Britain marked World Polio Day in many ways, including walks, to raise money and awareness of this preventable disease. The Priory Rotary End Polio Now Walk started and finished at West Norfolk Rugby Club in North Wootton, with a stop for tea or coffee and cake at Castle Rising. 20 people took part, and when all the donations were collected the event raised £600. This total will be tripled by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, making a grand total of £1,800.

A global campaign of vaccinations spearheaded by Rotary has almost wiped out polio, with an estimated 16 million people walking today who would otherwise have been paralysed by this virus. The task now is to eradicate the last 0.1% of cases. There are still small pockets remaining in hard-to-reach communities such as Pakistan and Afghanistan, and the current situation in Ukraine is preventing new-born babies there being given preventative vaccines including polio. So it is all the more important that Rotary continues to push hard to achieve the ultimate goal of eradicating polio for ever.

Picture shows the walkers about to set off from the rugby club, along with Dr Peter Tasker, chairman of the International Committee, with Rotary End Polio Now balloons and Ollie, Priory’s well-travelled polio bear.