The colour was chosen because of the purple dye used during polio vaccination programmes to show which children have received their vaccination drops. The date, 24th October, is the birthday of the developer of the first polio vaccine, Jonas Salk.

Peterborough Ortons Rotary Club has donated 1500 purple crocus bulbs to the Cathedral for planting within the Precincts as a further reminder of the ‘end polio’ campaign. They will soon be planted on the north side of the Cathedral and visitors should be able to see the crocuses in bloom from Spring 2022.

For 30 years Rotary International has been working with partners in 125 countries on a programme to end polio, a potentially fatal disease that can affect all ages, but in particular children under 5 years old. Their campaign has met with very considerable success, with cases now increasingly rare. You can find out more here: www.rotary.org/en/our-causes/ending-polio 

Photo below:
The President of Peterborough Ortons Rotary Club, Clive Doubleday (left), presents the 1500 purple crocus bulbs to Cathedral Head Gardener, Rob Glover.