Photograph: Getting stuck in. Some of the willing volunteers. Photo by Andrew Hyde.
The Rotary Club of Hitchin Tilehouse, District 1260, is waiting to hear if they have officially set the new Guinness World Record for the greatest number of people planting bulbs at the same time.
The bizarre feat was achieved when the Hertfordshire based club recruited 643 members of the public, local guides, beavers, friends and family to simultaneously plant ‘Ruby Giant’ crocus bulbs for Focus on the Crocus, part of the Thanks for Life campaign. The original record was 331 people.
Volunteers really got stuck in at Butts Close Park. They were up against competition from Rotary clubs across Great Britain and Ireland, all keen to break the record. After checking the results from across the country, Hitchin Tilehouse have emerged as the potential winners of the Guinness World Record, subject to official validation.
District Governor, Amanda Watkin is thrilled: “This is a fantastic achievement! So many people came along to Butts Close on the 2nd of October and really pitched in. We had so much fun in the process we actually forgot about the record attempt. This is about community engagement and the community really stepped up to the challenge.
"To know that we have potentially beaten the record is a great start to our Thanks for Life activities which I hope will raise more funds for the Rotary End Polio Now campaign. I’d like to thank everyone who got involved. Next February this area will look wonderful and will be a great reminder that we are fighting to wipe out polio forever.
"I would urge anyone who wants to make a difference to consider joining Rotary. This is a wonderful organisation which makes a big diference at home and overseas. Contact your lcoal club and get involved. We’re always looking for new members."
Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland’s (RIBI) campaign, Thanks for Life, has flourished thanks to a partnership with the Eden Project’s Big Bulb Plant and the International Flower Bulb Centre (IFBC). The campaign is aiming to raise as much money as possible to help eradicate polio for good. The bold purple colour of the crocus ‘Ruby Giant’ symbolises the dye used to mark a child’s little finger once they have been immunised against polio.
Visit Thanks for Life for fundraising ideas and news.
Would you like to join Rotary and make a world of a difference? Contact your local club by using our Find a Club at the top of this page or read our Join Rotary information page.
