Barry Lights up in purple for world Polo Day

Tuesday, 4 November 2025 11:29

By Nathan Spackman

Barry joined the globe in marking World Polio Day by illuminating local landmarks in a vibrant shade of purple.

This annual initiative is part of a worldwide effort to raise awareness about polio eradication and the importance of vaccination programmes.

World Polio Day is observed every year on 24th October, commemorating the birth of Jonas Salk, who developed the first successful polio vaccine. The day serves to highlight the ongoing battle against polio, a highly infectious disease that once paralysed thousands of children yearly but is now on the brink of global eradication thanks to sustained vaccination campaigns.

The ‘Purple4Polio’ campaign, spearheaded by Rotary International, including the Rotary Club of Bary of District and encourages communities to turn prominent buildings and spaces purple, the colour symbolising the dye used to mark the fingernails of immunised children. This visual display not only draws attention to the cause but also celebrates the progress made, reminding everyone that the fight is not yet over.

The Rotary Club of Barry and District worked with the Vale of Glamorgan to light up several local landmarks in purple, including the Barry Island Pavilions and Hood Road Tunnel.

Along with the illumination, a presentation was given by Rotarian Carol Hallewell, the club's Polio Champion, at the Barry Rotary Memory Café.

Carol explained about The Fight against Polio and the work that Rotary was doing to eradicate this disease. Carol was also able to announce that donations received at the café will be matched by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, thus saving the lives of 645 children.

If you want to know more about Barry & District Rotary, email: barryrotaryclub@outlook.com

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