The Rotary Club of Axminster will mark historic progress towards a polio-free world while urging the community to help end the paralyzing disease.

They are organising an event – one of thousands - to be held by Rotary clubs around the world to mark World Polio Day on October 24.

Axminster Rotarians are taking action to mark World Polio Day to raise awareness, funds and support to end polio, a vaccine-preventable disease that still threatens children in parts of the world today.

They will be manning a stall at the weekly street market on October 21 from 9 am to 12 noon when the public can learn about the fight against polio, take part in a virtual treasure hunt and donate towards ending this disease for ever.

When Rotary and its partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, there were 350,000 cases of polio in 125 countries every year. Great progress to combat the disease has been made since then.

Today, polio cases have been reduced by 99.9 per cent, and just two countries continue to report cases of wild poliovirus - Afghanistan and Pakistan.

A Rotarian spokesman said: "With polio nearly eradicated, Rotary and its partners must sustain this progress and continue to reach every child with the polio vaccine.

"Without full funding and political commitment, this paralyzing disease could return to polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk.

"Rotary has committed to raising US$50 million each year to support global polio eradication efforts. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged to match that 2-to-1, for a total yearly contribution of $150 million.

John Marjoribanks, Organiser of the End Polio Now campaign at Axminster Rotary, said: "Many of you will remember a friend or relative who suffered from polio. My own uncle died in an iron lung at the age of 48. It is hugely important that we get rid of this foul disease before any more people die or are crippled for life."

Rotary has contributed more than $2.2 billion to ending polio since 1985 from clubs like Axminster all over the world, through the support of their local communities.

For more details contact John Marjoribanks by email at [email protected] (telephone 01297 33742).