Purple for Polio - or how Crocus' are helping prevent Polio

Volunteers from  The Friends of Comeytrowe Park have planted 500 purple crocus corms which were donated by Taunton Vale Rotary Club as a symbol of the fight against polio.

Over recent years the Rotary Club has donated several thousand crocus corms to local parks and community organisations around Taunton, which are then planted by volunteers interested in enhancing local community open spaces.

The purple crocuses are a symbol of Rotary International’s fight to eradicate polio throughout the world. To show children have taken part in the immunisation programme, they have their little finger dipped in purple dye, hence the associated colour.

One of the planting volunteers, Rita Sandford, who survived polio as a child said:

“I think this is a great idea to promote polio awareness.  We are so lucky now to be immunised against the polio virus but this is only because we have the vaccination. It is important that we continue this in this country and around the world.”