Class act for meningitis fundraiser

A BOOK written by pupils at Egerton Church of England Primary School is to go on sale in memory of a baby who lost his life to meningitis.

Year 5 have written The Redwings Fantastic Tales as part of the school's fortnight long Enterprise Week, with part of the profits going towards Meningitis UK.

The charity was chosen because their teacher Danny Sweatman lost his brother Joe to the killer brain bug at just seven weeks old.

Mr Sweatman's class have been learning about the deadly disease as part of the project and hope their books will raise several hundred pounds for Meningitis UK.

The 27 pupils, aged nine and 10, have each penned their own myth, legend or fantasy tale.

Mr Sweatman, 23, said: "Each class got to choose its own charity and mine chose Meningitis UK because of my own experience and also one of the pupil's sisters had the disease and survived.

"They fully understand why they need to raise the money and I think Enterprise Week has really opened their eyes."

The class will also be selling programmes at the school's sports day while Mr Sweatman is in training for his first half marathon - the Great North Run in September.

All the money raise by him and Year 5 will go towards Meningitis UK and its goal to find a vaccine for Meningitis B and save hundreds of lives.

He added: "I hope to raise £1,000 in total. I'm so proud that everyone's got behind me.

"I was just over five-years-old when Joe died. I have snippets of memory and of the turmoil of everything that happened.

"It had a huge effect on my family. You never get over the loss of a baby, which is why I think it's so important to find a vaccine for this terrible disease."

Meningitis UK's Search 4 a Vaccine Campaign aims to raise £7million to fund vital research into developing a vaccine against Meningitis B - the most common form of meningitis in the UK. This accounts for almost 90 per cent of all cases.

Steve Dayman, who founded Meningitis UK after his son Spencer died from the disease, said: "The efforts of Danny and his class in memory of Joe are really remarkable. We wish them luck for Enterprise Week and hope everyone enjoys reading the book.

"Every penny raised will go towards our single focus - to find a vaccine to eradicate meningitis.

"Our ultimate goal is to spare people the heartache Joe's family have suffered by losing a loved one to meningitis."

To buy The Redwings Fantastic Tales, visit www.meningitisuk.org/shop

Or, to sponsor Danny in the Great North Run, visit www.justgiving.com/dannysweatman

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