The Meningitis Trust

The Meningitis Trust provides practical, emotional and financial support to people whose lives have been affected by meningitis. This support is available for life, whenever it is needed, and includes a 24hr nurse-led helpline, professional counselling, financial support grants, home visits and one-to-one contacts.

Councillor Alison Smith as this year’s Chairman of North-West Leicestershire District Council has chosen The Meningitis Trust as her Charity of the Year and all the monies raised in North-West Leicestershire will be used to help support families in this district that have been affected by this terrible illness.

In June, the Chairman’s Charity Launch raised a fantastic £436.70 on the evening including a £200 donation from AB Produce. Held on 3rd June, the Cheese & Wine Evening was well-supported by local councillors, businesses and representatives from neighbouring colleges and nurseries as well as supporters of the Trust.

Another successful weekend of fundraising was had on 28th and 29th June where over £560 was raised at an awareness stall at the Heart of the Forest Festival, Measham and a bucket collection at the Picnic in the Park Family Arts Festival in Coalville Park. Two further bucket collections were organised at Tescos in Ashby and Morrisons in Coalville raising a fantastic £914.57 and £690.51 respectively.

A restaurant night at Donington-Le-Heath Manor House Museum including a tour around the medieval house raised £210 and a Ladies Christmas Evening at Staunton Harold Hall raised £687.02. Now the Appeal Total stands at a fantastic £4415.37 with a big thank you to all the supporters who have given up their time to help out so far.

Whilst Alison is raising vital funds in her year of office, she is also raising awareness of this devastating disease. A recent survey taken by the Trust suggested the true impact of meningitis is far greater than many people realise, up to 10 million adults in the UK – as many as one in every four – knows of someone who has contracted the disease. In the Leicestershire area, around 4,870 could be struggling to cope with the life changing after-effects of meningitis – and every year another 87 people in the county could find themselves fighting the impact of the devastating disease.

There are many ways that you can support The Chairman’s Charity: you could volunteer a couple of hours at the next bucket collection, help man an awareness stand or even organise your own small event whether a coffee morning, a raffle or a bring and buy sale. For further details about the Chairman’s Charity, please contact the Chairman’s Support Officer at North West Leicestershire District Council on telephone 01530 454 723 or email: judith.peace@nwleicestershire.gov.uk.

For more details about the Meningitis Trust, please contact the local Community Development Officer for the Central Region, Jo Kennedy via joannek@meningitis-trust.org or on the contact details below.