The trees in Langmoor and Lister Gardens are illuminated purple this weekend to mark World Polio Day on Saturday, 24 October, and support the Rotary Club of Lyme Regis’s Purple for Polio campaign.
The Rotary International campaign raises awareness of polio and the ongoing global effort to eradicate the disease. Vaccination remains vital to protecting children worldwide and preventing the spread of this potentially devastating illness.
The colour purple has a special significance for the campaign. Each year, children receiving polio vaccinations have one finger marked with purple dye to show they have been vaccinated. This simple but powerful symbol has become closely associated with the worldwide Purple for Polio initiative.
When Rotary launched its global campaign to eradicate polio in 1985, the disease was reported in 125 countries, with more than 350,000 cases worldwide. Since then, sustained international vaccination efforts have reduced cases by more than 99.9%, with wild poliovirus transmission now confined to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Rotary continues to play a vital role in the fight against polio, raising US$50 million annually. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation contributes a further US$100 million, bringing the combined annual commitment to US$150 million.
Although enormous progress has been made, the fight is not over. Vaccination programmes must continue to prevent the disease from spreading and to protect the progress achieved. The ultimate goal is to eradicate polio completely, making it only the second human disease ever to be eradicated worldwide, following smallpox.
By illuminating the trees in Langmoor and Lister Gardens purple with the support of Lyme Regis Town Council, the Rotary Club of Lyme Regis hopes to raise awareness locally and remind the community that, with continued commitment and vaccination, a polio-free world is within reach.
