Aberystwyth town library and bandstand will turn purple to mark World Polio Day (24 October).

Ridding the world of polio is closer than ever with world-wide rotary club contributions working to eradicate polio for more than 35 years through their End Polio Now campaign.

Polio has no cure and causes permanent and irreversible nervous system damage.

Rotary has contributed over £1.6 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly three billion children in 122 countries from polio. Their advocacy has also played a role in government decisions to contribute more than £7.5 billion eradication efforts. As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Rotary has reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent since their first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979.

Polio is endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan but it is crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio-free. If eradication efforts stop, polio could paralyse as many as 200,000 children each year within 10 years.

Ardal Aberystwyth Rotary Club President, Martin Tranter, said: “Continuing this important campaign is vital to prevent the spread of polio. We are grateful to Ceredigion County Council for marking World Polio Day by lighting up the library and bandstand.”