A million pound challenge to eradicate the deadly polio disease came to New Malden last weekend.
The Rotary clubs of New Malden and Morden joined forces on Saturday, February 27, at the Tesco Extra store in Malden Way, to raise money for Thanks for Life, End Polio Now campaign.
Joined by the mayor and mayoress of Merton, the New Malden and Morden branches joined 400 other Rotary Clubs at 400 Tesco stores across the UK in a bid to match a £1m donation pledge by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The collections brought in more than £540, which the Rotary clubs said would protect more than 2,800 lives against polio.
Michael Robson from New Malden Rotary Club said: “I would like to say a big thank you to all who contributed.
“Every pound we raise can save five lives and it will go towards people on the ground who can be giving out vaccine.”
The campaign started in 1988 when polio was endemic in more than 125 countries and today the disease exists in only four countries: India, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
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