£2,700 raised by Ashby Rotary Clubs for End Polio Now Charity

£2,700 raised by Ashby Rotary Clubs for End Polio Now Charity

The 3 Rotary Clubs of Ashby have raised an amazing £2,700 for the End Polio Now global charity.

World Polio Day was observed on Monday 24^th October as it is every year. It was established by Rotary International over a decade ago to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk who led the first team to develop a vaccine against Poliomyelitis.

The day is designed to raise awareness of Polio vaccination and the eradication of this disabling and life threatening viral disease.

In light of this the 3 Ashby Rotary clubs – Ashby, Ashby Hastings and Ashby Castle joined forces and were very visible in the town on Saturday 22^nd October, as they collected funds for the End Polio Now global charity.

They raised £600 on Market Street, near the Co-Op on Derby Road and in local public houses thanks to the generosity of Ashby residents. This coupled with an anonymous donor and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, who add their donations to every £1 raised, saw the clubs raise £2,700 in total.

To further mark World Polio Day, Ashby Town Council illuminated the Loudon Memorial in Bath Street in purple running from the 22^nd to 24^th October. The colour is symbolic with Polio eradication as it represents the purple dye used to mark the finger of a child who has been immunised.

The 3 Rotary Clubs of Ashby took to their official Facebook pages and said, “The Ashby community has been incredibly generous over the years that Rotary have been collecting for Polio eradication. So, from the Rotary Clubs of Ashby, thank you!”