Barnet Rotary Club will turn Barnet High Street Purple on Saturday February 23rd at 11am when local Rotarians will mark World Rotary Day and highlight the fight to eliminate Polio from the world which is spearheaded by Rotary and supported by Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates.
The Rotary “End Polio Now campaign” was launched in 1985 when the disease crippled or killed more than 1,000 children a day . Working with the World Health Organisation and other partners the number of children effected has fallen to only 222 in 2012 in just three Countries, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria.
Bill Gates, who is working with Rotary ,highlighted the work of eradiating Polio in his “BBC Richard Dimbleby” lecture a few weeks ago and has donated 355 million dollars to the campaign, challenging Rotary Clubs worldwide to raise a further 200 million dollars.
Barnet Rotarians dressed in purple, reflecting the colour of the crocus used as the campaign’s symbol will be handing out leaflets and selling fund raising purple crocuses outside Boots the Chemist.
Barnet Rotary President Saiful Shamsad said “The Rotary led world wide campaign to eradicate Polio needs a final push and Barnet Rotary Club are using the opportunity of World Rotary Day to highlight this campaign and the other local charitable work that Barnet Rotary Club does in the Community”.