Felpham students support Bognor Rotary Club's Purple for Polio campaign

A school has joined forces with a Rotary Club to support a campaign to eradicate polio.
Maisie ONeill, head girl, with Bognor Regis Town Mayor, cllr Phil Woodhall, and some Felpham Community College Rights Respecting School AmbassadorsMaisie ONeill, head girl, with Bognor Regis Town Mayor, cllr Phil Woodhall, and some Felpham Community College Rights Respecting School Ambassadors
Maisie ONeill, head girl, with Bognor Regis Town Mayor, cllr Phil Woodhall, and some Felpham Community College Rights Respecting School Ambassadors

Felpham Community College has teamed up with the Rotary Club of Bognor Regis by going ‘purple for polio’ in a bid to make sure the vaccination can be made available to people all over the world.

The Rotary Club has been campaigning for over 30 years to eradicate polio. This year’s campaign sees them linking up, once again, with the Royal Horticultural Society to raise awareness by planting thousands of purple crocuses across the United Kingdom.

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Late last year, students from the school worked with the Rotary Club to campaign for change and planted a crocus bulb for every student across the school campus, with 1,400 bulbs planted in total at the beginning of November.

Felpham Community College students enjoying the tea partyFelpham Community College students enjoying the tea party
Felpham Community College students enjoying the tea party

Last month, the school hosted a community tea party to celebrate the campaign and the flowers coming into bloom.

Guests included representatives from local schools and nursing homes, the Parish Council, Arun District Council and the school nurse service, as well as students, parents, staff and Governors from Felpham Community College.

Michelle Kelly, assistant headteacher, said: “Felpham students feel strongly about campaigning for change and this was an ideal opportunity to get involved and to raise awareness of an awful disease that needlessly still affects so many people. When we planted the bulbs before Christmas we were planning a sea of purple and we have been successful – the school site is awash with purple crocuses and looks amazing! The tea party has been a lovely event to celebrate with the community.”

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Max Hughes, head boy, and Maisie O’Neill, deputy head girl, said: “The event is a good idea to help raise the issue of polio still being prevalent in the third world. It was very interesting to hear about the councillor’s experiences as they came from a generation who knew people that had contracted polio.”

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