Crocus Support For Rotary Mission

A plush carpet of purple petals will greet visitors to People’s Park next spring when thousands of crocus bulbs burst into flower.

More than 16,000 crocus corms were planted in the park this week as preparations for the eye-catching display got underway.

Banbury Rotary Club is organising the purple carpet in conjunction with Banbury Town Council, and students from Banbury and Bicester College helped plant the corms.

The crocuses will highlight local support for a global health campaign that has seen the dreaded polio virus wiped out in all but two countries worldwide.

Rotary clubs everywhere are involved in the ‘Purple for Polio’ campaign – part of a polio eradication initiative that has been running since 1979.

Banbury Rotary Club has been a member of the scheme since 1987.

Club president John Groves said: “Rotary clubs are working with their communities to plant purple crocuses this autumn – and thanks to the town council we are able to use the magnificent People’s Park to highlight this crucial campaign that is doing so much to rid the world of this terrible disease.

“The project has helped many countries become polio-free – though there is still cause for concern in Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

The campaign also prevents the disease from returning to countries that have become polio-free.

Mr Groves added: “Purple is the colour of the dye used in developing countries to mark the fingers of those who have been vaccinated – and it has been adopted as the colour of the ongoing campaign.”

Cllr Martin Phillips, chairman of the council’s general services committee which oversees parks, said: “The town council has worked with the rotary club for a number of years to plant purple crocuses in various places including St Mary’s Churchyard and Spiceball Park.

“It publicises an extremely important issue. While this country has been polio-free for more than 40 years, other countries are not so fortunate. This purple carpet will send a strong message that people are working to eradicate the disease – and to make sure it doesn’t return.”

• World Polio Day was Tuesday 24 October and Banbury Town Hall glowed purple on the 23rd and 24th to symbolise the ‘Purple for Polio’ campaign.

In the picture are members of Banbury Rotary Club with Cllr Phillips (centre) and just some of the 16,000 crocus corms.