A SPLASH of purple and a shared love of good food helped bring the community together for a cause with global impact.
Tameside Rotary hosted a fundraising curry evening in Ashton-under-Lyne on Tuesday, March 24.
Around 40 people attended the ‘Wear Purple Curry Evening’, raising £500 in support of Rotary International’s End Polio Now campaign.
Thanks to a long-standing partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, that total will now be tripled, giving the fundraiser even greater impact.
Guests gathered at Sheikh’s Restaurant, where they were welcomed by owner Sam and his team for an evening that combined food, fundraising and entertainment.
Opening the event, Rotary president Mike Glover explained the significance behind the purple theme. Guests had been encouraged to wear the colour as a nod to the dye used to mark children’s fingers after receiving the polio vaccine – a simple but powerful symbol of protection against the disease.
Alongside the meal, a raffle featuring donated prizes added to the fundraising effort, with 10 winners going home with gifts. The evening finished on a lively note, as comedy folk entertainer Rob Mason took to the floor with stories and songs inspired by growing up in Lancashire, drawing plenty of audience participation.
For organisers, the event was about more than just a good night out.
“Curry evenings are a fantastic way to enjoy a great night out while supporting a massive humanitarian cause,” said Angela Robbins, Past President and International & Foundation Chair at Tameside Rotary.
“We are almost at the finish line in ending polio and fundraising events such as this help take us a little nearer. Rotary has been fighting to rid the world of polio for over 35 years and whilst cases have drastically reduced, it’s estimated that if polio eradication efforts ceased today, within ten years we will see a resurgence which could affect up to 200,000 children each year.
“Continued funding and awareness are essential if we are to succeed in eradicating this highly infectious disease. I am very grateful to everyone who gave their support to this fun event and would particularly like to thank our Community Service Lead, Steve Knowles, for organising and collaborating on the event planning.”