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Polio is a highly infectious disease that mostly affects children under the age of five. Although preventable by vaccine it continues to threaten children in certain parts of the world today.

The Mayor, Councillor Peter Johnston, said: “The work that the local Rotary clubs have carried out in the fight against Polio is remarkable and I am delighted to host this reception to mark that excellent work on World Polio Day.”

Although the ongoing health pandemic has impacted on events, the clubs have been creative in their initiatives to highlight Rotary’s key humanitarian project.

The Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Cllr Peter Johnston, held a special reception with Rotary club presidents to mark World Polio Day (October 24), from left, Brenda Houston, Carrickfergus, Lynda Bell, Ballymena and Carole Spence, Larne. Since 1985 Rotary’s worldwide key humanitarian project has been to rid the world of polio.

Carole Spence, president of the Larne Rotary Club, said: “At a local level, we, the Rotary Club of Larne, have held quizzes, eaten purple marmalade and recently during Covid restrictions, one of our more senior members has cycled around all the other members in the club to help maintain contact as well as raising much needed funds.

“We would like to thank the Mayor, Councillor Peter Johnston, for his full support to this very important cause.”

This year the Rotary Club of Carrickfergus are gifting bags of purple crocus bulbs to all the care homes, learning disability homes and sheltered housing sites in the Carrickfergus, Greenisland and Whitehead areas. Read here

In Ballymena, the Rotary club has held a table quiz for the past five years to raise funds for the global eradication of polio. Organised by immediate past president Jim Briggs, assisted by past resident Gerry Waldron and the Burnside family, the quiz has raised almost £15,000.

This amount has been tripled by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has been a major supporter of the campaign since 2007.

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Purple marmalade part of Larne Rotary’s polio eradication campaign support