On Thursday 12th December Sugar Hill RotaKids planted purple crocus bulbs around the Memorial Tree planted in memory of Syd Howarth MBE, who died on 29th October 2018. Pat Pickersgill from Aycliffe Rotary Club asked the children to be involved in this project and they were delighted to oblige.
Rotary purple crocus bulbs are sold to raise money for Polio Eradication. The connection being that the children on receiving their anti-polio drops then have their little finger dipped in a purple ink. The little finger is then a purple pinky!
Syd was a Past President of the Rotary Club and Past District Governor of Rotary District 1030. Syd was a great supporter of Rotary Polio Eradication, even administering the drops himself in West Africa. So it is more than appropriate that the bulbs are planted by his tree.
The children planted the bulbs with the help of Gail Webber, the school gardener, and were watched by Syd’s son, Paul Howarth and Mrs Legge, Deputy Head Teacher.
Mrs Legge commented, “It is always lovely to see the children involved in community projects. A big thank you to Aycliffe Rotary Club for providing the bulbs and to Gail for helping the children to plant them. We will all look forward to seeing the bulbs bloom around Syd’s Memorial Tree opposite Newton Press around March time next year’.
