Celebrating the end of COVID restrictions

Last Saturday (19 February) the Deputy Mayor of Richmond Cllr Suzette Nicholson joined Richmond Rotary Club President Pindi Tamana in Richmond Rotary Gardens to celebrate the end of COVID restrictions.

Dr Tony Sayer, Past President of the Richmond Rotary Club and a local GP, said "we have not only found and approved a number of effective coronavirus vaccines and treatments but over 44 million people have been vaccinated.

'It's now time to celebrate the end of restrictions, and the return to some form of normality. Rotary is proud to have planted these purple symbols of hope.'

Rotary Gardens is the small pocket garden by the river opposite Richmond Landing Stage, Buccleuch Passage. Richmond Rotary raised substantial funds in 1974 to change it from derelict land to a garden for the benefit of the community.

In October 2020, Richmond Rotary (with the support of Richmond Good Gym members and Valerie Munro aka Auntie Planty) planted 6000 purple crocus corms in the shape of a Rotary Wheel in this pocket garden. The colour purple has become a symbolic colour in the fight against another deadly virus polio , inspired by the colour of the dye painted onto the little finger of a child to signify that they had received their life-saving vaccine.

It was hoped that by the time that these crocus flowers appeared in spring 2021 that a vaccine for coronavirus would have been found. In fact, the first doses of the. Covid vaccine were given in December 2020.

The Rotary Club of Richmond has been serving the community of Richmond for 97 years. The club currently has 23 full members, and meets every Tuesday 12.30 for 13.00. This Purple Crocus Wheel of Hope is just one of the many community service volunteering activities the club is involved in each year.

For further information about joining our club to serve our community, please email [email protected]