ROTARIANS teamed up with secondary school pupils to raise awareness and funds in the fight against polio.

The Marches School and Oswestry Rotary Club have worked together on several activities int he run up to world Polio Day.

When the students returned from half-term, they and Rotarian Justin Soper planted 5,000 purple crocus bulbs at the front of the school, which are due to flower in the spring.

Students have sold badges in the shape of a purple crocus at the school.

Each £1 purchase will help to save the lives of two children and was match-funded by the Rotary Club.

On Thursday, October 25 the Marches School hosted a non-uniform day, with close to £950 raised.

Mr Soper spoke in assemblies to every student from Year 7 up to Sixth Form to inform them that Polio has nearly been eradicated, but without raising money and providing immunisation vaccines, cases will increase again.

In 1985, there were 126 countries in the world, which had 350,000 confirmed cases, but due to sustained efforts from charities such as the Rotary International, Unicef and Save the Children, this has been reduced by 98 percent.

Mr Soper said: “The students at the Marches School have been a joy to work with. They have been enthusiastic, attentive and incredibly helpful.

"They have contributed fantastically to help eradicate a dreadful disease and to make the world a better place. Having planted over 14,000 crocuses over Oswestry in the past two years, we are determined to turn Oswestry purple next spring."

Mrs. Alison Pearson, Headteacher of the Marches School, added: “We have been overjoyed to support such a wonderful and caring initiative that the Rotary Club brought to us, and we would like to thank the students at the school for being so supportive of the cause.

"We raised a fantastic amount of money and it brings a huge sense of pride that it has gone towards helping save the lives of children”.