Volunteers in Maidenhead put green fingers to work planting spring flowers

Volunteers from Maidenhead Rotary and Rotaract Clubs put their green fingers together to plant purple crocuses at sites across the town on Saturday (October 28).

More than a dozen members of all ages pulled on their wellies and pitched in with forks and spades to bury the spring flowering plants.

The crocus corms, which are like bulbs, were planted outside Maidenhead Library, the Desborough Theatre and at Thicket Corner and Furze Platt Road.

In addition to brightening up Maidenhead during the spring season, the initiative aims to raise awareness for the global campaign to eliminate polio.

Maidenhead Bridge Rotary project coordinator, Harrie Hayward, said:

“One of the reasons I joined Rotary was this idea that an organisation would decide to rid the world of a disease, and then do exactly that.

“It’s totally amazing that the vaccination campaign has been so successful. The polio virus is literally fighting for survival as the number of cases is pushed down every year."

Rotary International was a founding partner of the 1980s Global Polio Eradication Initiative, a time when 350,000 children a year were affected by the virus.

Since then, vaccination and monitoring programmes have succeeded in reducing the number of cases worldwide to just nine in 2023.

Harrie added: “Today we had some new members: members from Maidenhead Rotaract, Rotary project partners for 18–30-year-olds, and Rotary Direct members from elsewhere in the Thames Valley.

“It’s great to see people of different ages and backgrounds coming together for worthwhile projects.”

The purple planting is set to continue as the Rotary Club joins with volunteers from Ashfield MedComms on Thursday (November 2) in Oakean Grove Park.

For more information on Maidenhead Rotary Club events visit: https://tinyurl.com/yrpkuh7h

Alternatively, email info@maidenheadbridgerotary.org.uk or contact Lisa Hunter on 07876 341334.