Rotarians are holding fundraising Duck Race in Knighton Park, Leicester, on Sunday, September 1, 2024 alongside the Friends of Knighton Park open day.
At least 10 per cent of the money they raise will help the Friends of Knighton Park continue the work they do to keep the park in tip-top condition. At least another 10 per cent will go towards End Polio Now.
That’s the global campaign which Rotary launched in 1985 when the crippling disease polio was rampant in dozens of countries with 365,000 new infections being diagnosed every year. That’s 1,000 lives cut short or wrecked every day.
Since then, along with our partners, Rotary has helped immunise more than 2.5 billion children against polio in 122 countries. Cases have been by cut 99.9 percent and now the disease is endemic in only Afghanistan and Pakistan. So far this year, there have been only 12 new cases in those two countries.
But the work – and the fundraising – has to go on until even those countries have been declared polio-free by the World Health Organisation for three years. Until then, there is a risk that a plane carrying an infected passenger could start a new epidemic anywhere in the world.
The Rotarians will choose other charities – some local to Leicester – to benefit.
Up to 3,000 tickets costing £2 each will go on sale at the Rotary Party In The Park at Bradgate Park, on Sunday, May 19.
You’ll find Rotary volunteers near the Deer Barn in the centre of the park inviting youngsters to play Hook A Duck. There is no charge to take part in that.
But if you buy a duck race ticket you stand a chance of winning £50 if your duck comes in first, £25 if it’s second and £15 if it’s third.
If you cannot be at Bradgate Park on May 19, when there will be lots of Rotary clubs taking part in a promotional; day, you will soon be able to buy them from this Facebook Page.
Jim Matthews, President of the Rotary Club of Leicester Novus says: “We thank the Friends of Knighton Park and Leicester City Council’s parks department and its events department for their wholehearted support so far.”
If you would like to speak to someone, please call Jim Matthews on 0795 197 2914.
To learn more about End Polio Now, please visit https://www.endpolio.org/
And to learn about the wonderful work done by the Friends of Knighton Park, please visit their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/2505340276453572
Last edited: 19:40 on Friday, May 17
