Schools sign up to polio challenge

Children from Bridge Integrated and Ballydown Primary Schools are taking part in a ‘Wear Something Purple Day’ in a charitable link-up with the Thanks for Life Polio Plus Campaign being run by the Rotary Club.

Lagan Valley Rotary Club has signed up to the initiative which aims to raise 1million in a challenge to eradicate polio worldwide - and local children have been encouraged to play their part.

Each child will wear an item of purple clothing to school on one particular day during February and donate 1 to the campaign which involves over 55,000 other Rotarians across the UK.

Ann Roulston, president of Lagan Valley Rotary Club, said the ‘Wear Something Purple Day’ was part of Rotary’s national ‘Thanks for Life’ campaign which involves hundreds of rotary clubs across the UK linking up with schools, colleges, businesses, organisations and individuals to hold a range of fund-raising events - with the aim of raising the 1 million target by ‘Thanks for Life’ Rotary Day on Tuesday, February 23, which coincides with Rotary’s 105th birthday.

She said, "This is a wonderful opportunity for children to learn about issues facing children in other parts of the world and to help those who are less fortunate than themselves.

" Rotary has been involved in this fight for 25 years and the world is so close to being free from polio for good, thanks to the joint hard work of organisations and governments. How fantastic for a child to join the fight and be able to say, 'I helped to wipe out a disease for only the second time in history, after smallpox. I stopped children from dying - I helped change the world!”

In addition, Ann said the club was also delighted that Tesco stores across Great Britain and Ireland - including the Dunmurry store - were supporting the challenge by permitting donations from shoppers on Saturday, February 27.

“Polio is a crippling and sometimes fatal disease which is still a very harrowing reality for children in parts of Africa and Asia and threatens children everywhere,” she added. “It is highly virulent and every 1 raised in this campaign will purchase five doses of the special anti-polio vaccine. These children will be protected against polio for ever.”

Any other interested schools should contact Ann at [email protected] or visit www.ribi.org/thanks-for-life.