MEMBERS of the British Polio Fellowship (BPF) got stuck in to some gardening work as part of a Sow the Seeds of Hope campaign in Burnham.

Green-fingered Linda Evers and her husband Frank visited the Burnham Bungalow, operated by the charity’s Ron Scudamore holiday fund, with their three grandchildren – Nathaniel, Alexander and Amelia Hughes – and helped to plant seeds for the charity’s 75th anniversary and to help raise awareness about the late effects of polio and Post Polio Syndrome (PPS).

Rosalind Evans, who manages the Ron Scudamore Fund for the charity, said: “As the charity attempts to get the PPS message out there to a wider audience, campaigns like this are great because they manage to appeal to everyone.”

Ted Hill, chief executive of The British Polio Fellowship, said: “The flowers that grow from these seeds will be clearly visible all summer to brighten up the gardens and fields where they have been planted.

“The message they represent is something that carries a huge meaning for members of The British Polio Fellowship suffering from the late effects of polio and PPS.”

“The Sowing the Seeds of Hope campaign has become a huge part of our 75th anniversary celebrations.

“Our hope is that we’ve created a way of spreading awareness of both the charity and PPS in general, by encouraging people to do something enjoyable. The feedback received from the schools has so far been great and now with our members getting involved at our charity’s Burnham Bungalow, the campaign can only go from strength to strength.”

PPS is a neurological condition that occurs in up to 80% of those who have had polio. Around 120,000 people in the UK are living with PPS today.

Members took the opportunity to add some flowerbeds around the bungalow to create a floral welcome for guests.