A NEW Rotary club, Rotary in the Rissingtons, held its first Purple4Polio event at The Rissington Primary School on Thursday, April 4, with pupils raising £200.

Representatives from the Club were present at both sites, Upper and Great Rissington, to witness the event which was attended by all the pupils of the school.

Purple4Polio is a Rotary initiative in Great Britain and Ireland to raise funds and awareness for efforts to eradicate polio across the world and promote the work of our global campaign, End Polio Now.

When a child receives their life saving drops on mass immunisation days in many countries their little finger is painted with a purple dye so it is clear they have received their vaccine.

At both schools the children made donations which were collected in a symbolic Purple Pig and then they each had one finger dyed purple.

The significance of this was explained in school assemblies at Upper Rissington by Andrew Mitchell assisted by Henry Wooler-Bowcock, and at the Great Rissington site by Andy Couchman.

At the end of assembly at the Upper Rissington site, Sue Dawe, headteacher, led children in the singing of an inspiring song: ‘Be the Change’.

She emphasised to the children that each one of them was making a change that would help to make a big difference to the lives of many children in other less fortunate countries.

£200 was raised, and because every £1 raised attracts a further £2 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the sum raised will secure polio vaccinations for 3000 children in Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan.

Andrew Mitchell, chairman of Rotary in the Rissingtons, said: "This is a tremendous result, and we congratulate all the children who took part and entered into the event with such enthusiasm.”

Attending the event on behalf of North Cotswolds Rotary, Mike Boyes added that this was a really inspirational day and it was a joy and a privilege to be a part of it. Summing up, Andrew thanked Mrs Dawe and all the staff for their help in making this such a successful event.

Andrew thanked Mrs Dawe and all the staff for their help in making this such a successful event.