Lewes Rotary Club launches campaign to help eradicate polio
Lewes Rotary Club is hoping to enlist the support of local children in a major campaign to eradicate polio worldwide.
President of the Lewes club Alan Jackson said Rotarians would be contacting head teachers to seek support for the international campaign and involve their pupils.
Alan said an “End Polio Now” awareness week would be held from February 20 to 27, and Rotary Club members will be giving talks in schools and seeking donations towards vaccinating children in other countries.
Alan, who is pictured here presenting funds to Catrin Roberts of the East Sussex Music Service, another organisation helped by the Lewes club, said that thanks to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation matching grants, every £1 donated in Lewes towards vaccinations would pay for eight children to be immunised in the four countries where polio is still a serious blight on the lives of young children: Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nigeria.
Rotary was convinced, Alan said, that eradication of the disease, once and for all, was within reach.
Alan, who runs Jackson Wealth Management, a business providing advice and guidance on pensions, investments, tax and trusts, has been a member of Lewes Rotary Club for nine years.
He lives at Offham with his wife Linda and two daughters.
His other interests include cycling, and rock drumming and music in general. He has also been a member of the Uckfield branch of Business Network International (BNI), for 11 years.
Alan runs regular training classes on networking and public speaking for other BNI members – all owners of small and medium-sized businesses.
Alan is enjoying his year as president of Lewes Rotary Club, which runs from July to June, and said the polio campaign was just a small part of the work the club would be doing in the coming months.
Other projects include the recent Christmas door-to-door collections and a skittles tournament in the summer. The aim is to seek to support or enrich the lives of young people in the Lewes area.
Rotary in Lewes consists of three clubs and together, Alan said, their efforts would continue to focus on this fund-raising.
He added: “Rotary works closely with social services departments helping people in need, and my favoured charity this year is the Golden Lion Children’s Trust, which is dedicated to providing hope, help and happiness to children with special needs and to underprivileged youngsters.
“If anybody would like to know more about how they can become a Rotary volunteer and make a contribution to local causes, please contact me on 01273 409419”.
(Added to site Wednesday, January 20th, 2010)
