Young Rotarians launch club with flower power

President Jeff Lawton, Rotarians' Keith Trinnaman & Jean Nott, along with the 8 Community Ambassadors who will be the RotaKids group

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Flower power returned as Middleton Rotary Club launched a 'Rota Kids' club at Alkrington Primary School.

To mark the occasion each of the school's 15 classes was presented with a pot planted with crocus bulbs - a symbol of Rotary's bid to eradicate polio.

Rotary will use a fabric purple crocus, similar to the Marie Curie daffodil, to raise the profile of the viral disease as well as raise funds to help eradicate polio –a target since 1985.

Middleton Rotary Chairman Jeff Lawton now hopes the partnership with Alkrighton will lead to many more join initiatives in the future.

"This is a very proud day for Middleton Rotary as we charter one of the first Rota Kids in our district," he said.

"It is a wonderful prospect for us to be working together on projects that will enhance the lives of many in our community and internationally.

"We look forward to a very healthy union between ourselves and Alkrington Primary School and that is bound to result in very positive outcomes on the chosen projects."

Rota Kids is a new addition to the Rotary family and is effectively a mini Rotary Club for children aged 8-11.

Assisted by a Middleton Rotary Club mentor, pupils at Alkrighton will formulate their own projects.

Alkrington Primary Community Ambassadors see the link with Rotary as an ideal safe conduit to life outside the school.

These ambassadors want to start projects that can have a positive effect on the local and international community, starting with the crocus initiative.

Rotarians’ Keith Trinnaman and Jean Nott have worked closely with Karen Bracken, (School Business Manager), to realise the forming of the Rota Kids by the Community Ambassadors.

Keith, who will mentor the group, said: "These are real exciting times; the children are really enthused at the prospects of working with Rotary.

"With the many opportunities that will open up before us we all end up as winners with this partnership."