Worcester Vigornia Rotary Club - End Polio Now 8,000 Mile Challenge

This November/ December, we've set ourselves the challenge of walking/ running/ cycling 8,000 miles to raise funds for End Polio Now. 8,000 miles represents the borders of the final two countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan that still have Polio active in the country. Prior to this year, it was looking like we may be able to eradicate polio forever very soon. However, due to coronavirus, we know this will now taken even longer.

Help us ensure that we don't have to wait too much longer to get rid of polio forever.

Our challenge is now only focused on people's wellbeing, but also, to help everyone have a focus and drive to go outside at a more gloomy part of the year!

Support us, or event join us on this adventure! :)

NB - Please note we're continuing our Half Term fundraiser too. All donations will also receive the trail link as part of their thank you :)

As part of our World Polio Day activities, this year locally we have launched our Worcester Discovery Trail, a historic trail through Worcester City Centre. Follow our route map which will take you from Cathedral Square to Castle Street and back. Have fun and learn about the rich history of one of England’s oldest cities.

The Walking distance: 1.35 miles approx. Time 1 hour along the main street in our city centre.

The recommended minimum donation is £5 per group. Once your donation has been placed you will receive an email with your question sheet. If you do not receive your questions by email please contact: info@morrellshandwriting.co.uk The answers are available on the Rotary Club of Worcester Vigornia website.

Every donation will go towards the Rotary End Polio Now (EPN) charity to obtain the support, transport, materials and vaccinations needed in the fight against polio. Matched funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, every £1 of your generous donation is tripled by the Foundation to become £3. Your £5 donation will become £15 and will vaccinate 30 children (approx.).

Our story:

Worcester Vigornia Rotary Club will be one of thousands of Rotary clubs across the world taking action for World Polio Day to raise awareness, funds and support to end polio.

During October, we will be recognising the work of Rotary and our partners and the millions of people involved in so many ways in the fight for a polio free world. This vaccine preventable disease still threatens children in parts of the world today.

In August, Rotary and the world celebrated a significant milestone, as the World Health Organization certified the Africa region, which includes 47 countries, free from wild polio.

Now that Africa is officially wild polio free, we only have two countries where polio is active. The disease can come back.

This leaves just Pakistan and Afghanistan as the two remaining polio endemic countries in the world. But despite this momentous progress, more challenging work lies ahead to eradicate the disease for good. This year is especially important. We still need to vaccinate young children and continue to support End Polio Now.

Only together can we end polio worldwide; a virus that is still potentially just a plane ride away.

Thank you for your donation!

Worcester Vigornia Rotary Club

What is polio? The Disease

Poliomyelitis is a highly infectious disease that most commonly affects children under the age of 5. Most know it as poliovirus. The virus is spread person to person, typically through contaminated water. It can attack the nervous system, and in some instances, lead to paralysis. Although there is no cure, there is a safe and effective vaccine – one which Rotary and our partners use to immunize over 2.5 billion children worldwide.