Going purple for polio

Thousands of purple crocuses planted across Newark as part of a project by Rotary International to eradicate polio have come into flower.

A total of 20,000 crocus corms were bought by the Newark and Newark Castle Rotary clubs, the town council, Eton Avenue Growers’ Association, the Friends of Barnbygate Surgery allotment project and the Friends of Sconce and Devon Park.

The planting project was jointly run by the two Rotary clubs and Newark In Bloom.

Primary schools were given 500 corms, some were given to Howe’s Court and Carswell Close, and others were planted in the castle grounds and riverside park.

Pupils from William Gladstone primary and Holy Trinity Catholic Academy helped with planting in Sconce and Devon Park.

Mrs Gillie Wilkinson, who runs the Eton Avenue project and is secretary of Newark In Bloom, said although rabbits had eaten some of the corms most had survived and would come up year after year.

“They are looking beautiful,” she said.

The Purple4Polio project uses a purple crocus as a symbol of Rotary’s worldwide campaign to end polio. The colour represents the purple dye used to mark a child’s finger when they have been immunised.