JULY 18 marked Nelson Mandela Day, and on behalf of The British Polio Fellowship, I would like to express my thanks to Mr Mandela for the work that he did to help Kick Polio Out of Africa.

In 1996 Polio was rife in Africa. Political tensions, warfare and lack of funding all hampered efforts to immunise people against Polio. With the help of Nelson Mandela, Rotary International were able to launch the campaign to Kick Polio Out of Africa. South Africa is now Polio free, but the task remains to Kick Polio Out of Africa for good.

Millions of people in Africa have now been immunised against Polio and there has been a sharp fall in recorded cases. The role of Nelson Mandela in this was great and I would like to express my thanks to his memory. I would also like to ask your readers for their support in the ongoing fight against the late effects of Polio and Post Polio Syndrome (PPS) here in the UK.

In Britain, some 80% of Polio survivors (an estimated 120,000 people) go on to develop PPS and they need all the help that we can give them. Polio survivors struggle on with severe paralysis, wasted limbs and mobility issues and for them, life gets a whole lot harder as Post-Polio Syndrome (PPS) looms.

The British Polio Fellowship is on hand to help and to do that we need the support of the public.

To find out how you can help The British Polio Fellowship or for information about joining please contact us on 0800 018 0586 or visit www.britishPolio.org.uk.

Ted Hill MBE - CEO The British Polio Fellowship