Green fingered volunteers go purple for a blooming good cause

Green fingered volunteers have planted thousands of crocus bulbs in a Burnley park as part of a worldwide campaign.
Some of the volunteers who planted hundreds of crocus bulbs in Burnley's Thompson Park as part of World Polio Day.Some of the volunteers who planted hundreds of crocus bulbs in Burnley's Thompson Park as part of World Polio Day.
Some of the volunteers who planted hundreds of crocus bulbs in Burnley's Thompson Park as part of World Polio Day.

Members of the Rotary Club of Burnley Pendleside, together with volunteers from Pennine Lancashire Community Farm, planted 5,000 purple crocus bulbs in Thompson Park.

The bulbs were planted on the grassed area above the rose garden.

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So next spring it will be a riot of beautiful colour to complement the rose garden which is currently being re-designed as part of the Heritage Lottery Funded restoration project which is set to be finished next year.

The planting was organised to promote and celebrate the success of the ongoing Rotary Club’s worldwide campaign “End Polio Now”.

Ewen Dyda, president of the Rotary Club of Burnley Pendleside, said: “As a club we work very hard to ensure that polio is eradicated for good, and with fewer cases being reported we believe we can end this deadly disease forever.

“We are aiming to demonstrate how the humble crocus can symbolise a colourful splash of hope for a new beginning for children and how working together can make a huge difference.”

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Coun. John Harbour, Burnley Council’s executive member for housing and environment, said: “I’d like to say huge thank you to the members of Burnley Rotary Club for all their hard work and dedication to such a worthy cause. "

"Their planted flowers will provide a beautiful springtime display for many years to come.”

World Polio Day was celebrated in October and marks the progress being made to eradicate the disease which paralyses children.

The purple colour of the bulbs signifies the colour of the mark made when people are being vaccinated against the disease. Rotary clubs around the world have worked to raise funds to immunise over 2.5 billion children in 122 countries, with Rotarians from the UK going to India to help administer vaccines.

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Many countries have now become polio free and it now only remains in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with just 37 cases worldwide in 2016.

For more information about the campaign, please visit http://www.rotarycrocus.com/.

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