Purple pinki pounds for polio

Ferndown Rotary club is asking local schools to nominate one day in February as ‘Purple Pinki Day’ in a bid to generate the £1 million being sought as part of a worldwide initiative to eradicate the crippling, killer disease that affects children worldwide - polio.

On the day, pupils are to be invited to swap a donation of £1 - toward an immunisation programme - for the privilege of having their little finger (pinki) painted purple (the method used to identify children that have received the vaccine).  Alternatively, they can choose to wear something purple.

Every £1 raised will buy sufficient vaccine to provide five children with life long protection from the disease.

Ferndown Rotary Club members are joining forces with 55000 other Rotarians throughout Britain and Ireland to approach local schools for their help in reaching the target. Rotarians will also be available to attend school assemblies to give a brief presentation on the project - providing background to the campaign.

Speaking of the campaign, President of Ferndown Rotary Geoff Lawrence said: “How fantastic for a youngster to be able to say: ‘I helped to wipe out a disease, to stop children from dying; I helped change the world.’”