College News

QE’s Interact Club joins Purple4Polio Campaign

The Interact Club from QE has once again joined forces with Rotary International to support their Purple4Polio initiative. The campaign, which aims to eradicate polio worldwide, has seen students raise funds to provide vaccinations for children in Africa with over 200 vaccines having been donated by the College. The name ‘Purple4Polio’ stems from the idea that when a child receives their polio immunisation, their little finger is painted with a purple dye to indicate that they have been vaccinated. At Rotary International’s 116^th birthday celebrations, held virtually, guests were invited to wear purple and a video was shown highlighting all of the work done by QE students during the campaign with TV presenter, Konnie Huq, and Paralympian and polio survivor, Anne Wafula Strike MBE, hosting the event.

Lorna Macdonald, co-President of the College’s Interact Club, comments: ‘The coronavirus pandemic has shown us all how important vaccinations are, however we are lucky with some countries simply not having access to them. I’m proud that as a group we have been able to change the lives of 200 children by donating vaccinations and continuing to spread the message of the campaign through Rotary International’s birthday tea party’. Nancy Wall, Interact Club Co-ordinator, concludes: ‘In recent years, only two countries have reported cases of polio caused by the wild polio virus, but we must continue until every child has been vaccinated. I’m proud of the Interact Club for supporting international initiatives, in addition to local campaigns, as they are making a huge difference to lives across the world with their work’.