Rotary's carpet of hope

Community champions Rotary Oldham Metro and Saddleworth have helped plant stunning carpets of crocuses at Infant and Junior schools across the borough.

The distinctive purple crocus was adopted to symbolise part of Rotary's ongoing Polio eradication programme, and every year many thousands are planted by Rotary and their willing partners. 

Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 35 years and their goal of ridding the world of this disease is closer than ever.

And, as a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, they have reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent since their first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979.

Rotary members have contributed more than $2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect children in 122 countries from this paralyzing disease.

Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by governments to contribute more than $10 billion to the effort.

In Oldham, crocus planting took place at: Coppice primary academy, Freehold community primary school, Lyndhurst Primary school,  Roundthorn Primary School, Thorp Primary school, St Joseph's primary school, St Agnes C of E  primary school, Fir Bank primary school, Werneth primary school, St Margaret's C of E primary school, Royton Hall Primary school, Greenacres Primary, Blackshaw Lane Primary school, North Chadderton, Yew Tree Primary school, Leesfield Pre School, Higher Failsworth, St Paul's Royton, St Hugh's Primary school and the Indian Association Oldham.

In Saddleworth, schools at  Delph, Denshaw, Diggle, Dobcross, Friezland, Greenfield, St Marys Greenfield, Knowsley, Springhead, St Agnes Lees and St Anns Lydgate were recipients of the crocuses.

But Rotary say it’s crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio-free.

If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year.

The recorded figures are now very low – Afghanistan 5 and Pakistan 6 cases this year.

Rotary supports many local groups and organises events.

Upcoming events include the English Jazz Orchestra Concert at St Herberts Parish Hall in Chadderton on Saturday, January 27, 2024 and a production of “Glorious” at Saddleworth Players' Millgate Theatre in Delph on Sunday, February 11.

The Wellifest and Saddleworth Show also take place in June.

Tickets for Wellifest are now available online by clicking here

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