ILLUMINATIONS will turn the Bell Tower in the old part of Evesham purple this Saturday.

Saturday 24th October marks the return of World Polio Day commemorating the birth of Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop a vaccine against polio. The global campaign for the eradication of polio is organized by the World Health Organisation and is supported largely by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with the help of Rotary International.

When the campaign started in 1988, the terrible disease of polio was endemic in 125 countries, but thanks to a tremendous amount of work and investment, this has been reduced down to just 2 – Pakistan and Afghanistan. And just this year the whole continent of Africa was declared free of wild polio.

The campaign in the UK is known as ‘Purple4Polio’, so called because purple is the colour of the dye used on children's fingers to show they have been vaccinated.

Evesham Rotary has been part of this campaign for many years in various ways. Over the past few years they have developed a partnership with the Trustees of the Walled Garden at National Trust, Croome. Evesham Rotary has planted over 14,000 crocus corms with help from students of Prince Henry’s High School and The De Montfort School. The crocus line the pathways in the Garden and bloom beneath the heritage collections of apple and pear trees.

It is hoped to hold a “Spring Flower Festival’ in the Walled Garden next year so everyone can enjoy the beautiful sight of all the spring bulbs.

The opportunity to light Evesham Bell Tower purple has been made possible by the Enlighten project a partnership between Wychavon District Council, Evesham Town Council, the Parish Church of All Saints, Evesham and a number of other interested parties.

The President of Evesham Rotary, Trevor Battersby, said; “Rotary International has played a major role in the success of ‘End Polio Now’ and we here in Evesham are proud to have made our contribution. This year we are delighted to have the support of our Vicar, Wychavon and Evesham Councils and others in marking the day and helping to raise awareness of the fight to eradicate polio from the world.”