About us

• Our work
• Who we are
• Standards and partnerships
• Patrons
• Celebrity support
• Financial information

Our work

The charity has thousands of friends and supporters throughout the country, many of whom have experienced the devastation meningitis can cause. Together we strive towards a better understanding of the disease and to find a vaccine to prevent the heartache and suffering it can cause.

Research

We fund research at leading Institutions and Universities across the UK. Studies range from looking at specific immunity-boosting proteins and potential vaccine candidates, to understanding the mutation of certain strains of meningococcal bacteria against existing vaccines.

To ensure we reach our goal more quickly, our research teams are required to disseminate the results of their research to the general public and everyone working in the field of meningitis prevention.

We receive no goverment funding and rely solely on the generosity of the general public. Many of our supporters have experienced meningitis themselves and support the charity to help eradicate the disease and prevent future families from suffering. It obviously goes without saying that the more support we get, the sooner we can put a stop to this awful disease and the more lives we will be be able to save in so doing.

Awareness

In the absence of a vaccine to protect against all forms of the disease, we run a nationwide awareness and education programme to raise awareness of the common symptoms and need to act quickly, which in the absence of a vaccine, can mean the difference between life and death.

Symptoms awareness materials are offered free of charge to the public and to locations such as doctors' surgeries, pharmacies and work places.  We also run regular awareness campaigns to alert people to the dangers of meningitis and to target high-risk groups such as schools, nurseries and universities.

All of our awareness materials highlight the common symptoms of the diseases, explain how to carry out the ‘Tumbler Test' and urge people to follow their instincts and seek medical help immediately if they suspect something is wrong.

"Meningitis is a terrifying condition which can kill in hours and sadly we have families who support the charity who can confirm this. When minutes count, knowing the symptoms or having them somewhere close to hand can save valuable time and give people the confidence to seek medical help quickly".
Founder of Meningitis UK, Steve Dayman

Find out more about our current research, read personal stories of those who have been affected by meningitis or make a donation to support our work.