The Rotary Club of Narberth and Whitland joined forces with Narberth Primary School recently, raising Awareness and Money for the campaign to ‘End Polio Now’.

The school held a ‘dress in purple’ day to raise awareness and donations towards the Rotary’s ‘Purple4Polio’ campaign. Pupils had already planted purple crocuses last year.

Three children From the ages of 4 to 11 trooped into the Assembly Hall under the watchful eye of Deputy Head Mr Pearce.

They sat quietly amazed by the sight of a Purple BMW motorbike parked in front of the stage which was festooned with purple balloons kindly donated by Janine N Paul Birtwistle. They were later used for a presentation in The Plas Hyfryd Hotel.

Headmistress Mrs. Nia Ward then addressed the children whom she had permitted to have ‘an own clothes day and dressed in purple’.

Rotarians Mary Adams took photos. Publicity Chair Ken Morgan, and International Chair Nigel Towns were also dressed in purple for the Occasion. Mrs. Ward gave thanks to Huw Adams for the great surprise of the purple motorcycle in the School Hall that morning.

Mrs. Ward then surprised the children by bringing in a huge cuddly soft toy – a purple bear which she later raffled to raise a donation for the ‘End Polio’ campaign.

The bear was proudly seated on the motor bike and aptly christened “Purple Rider”, he looked great as an out rider.

After the talk about how children are immunised the pupils had a great time lining up at two tables by the stage to have their little fingers painted purple.

President Tony Ensom has offered thanks to the RotaKids for painting little fingers purple, and also thanks to Thu Kristina Lilly Nguyen for donating the Nail varnish.

The campaign featured the colour purple as the way to bring understanding of the method for immunising children against Polio.

In third world countries children who have been immunised have their little fingers dipped in purple. This helps the volunteers in the villages to identify those that have and those that haver not received the polio vaccine.

A huge thank you to Headteacher Nia Ward for letting the children get so involved with the Narberth & Whitland Rotary Club this year. Surely this was a memorable occasion in the school academic year.

During the week some businesses turned on purple lighting outsider their premises to publicise the Purple for Polio week.

Pics. Powerpix Photography