School plants colourful bulbs at Hednesford Park to raise awareness of polio

Chase Grammar School was invited down to Hednesford Park last week to plant 1,000 crocus and 30 trees on behalf of Cannock Rotary Club.

The rotary club, whose mission is to rid the world of polio, previously donated crocus to the park in 2016.

Meghan Griffiths, the president of the school's Interact club which planted the bulbs, said: "Interact is a voluntary group run by the school for young people that want to get involved in the local community and environment for positive purposes.

"The young people involved in the planting have a wide range of cultural experience and come from a range of different countries including: China, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Pakistan and different parts of the UK. We get our own funding to provide projects within the community."

The tree saplings planted were funded through the Woodland Trust, while the purple crocus were funded through the Rotary.

The rotary club's mission is to rid the world of polio, which still exists in parks of Northern Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The vibrant purple colour of the crocus flowers represents the indelible purple dye that children dip their finger in to show they have been immunised. The bulbs are being planted around the park in various locations.

Councillor Christine Mitchell, the portfolio leader for culture and sport at Cannock Chase District Council, said: “I am delighted that the Rotary Club have added to the crocus they donated in 2016 to Hednesford Park. There is a magnificent display of purple flowers in the spring and hopefully it will raise awareness of the Rotary Clubs ambition to rid the world of polio.”