The Meningitis Trust is the UK’s leading meningitis charity. It provides practical support for life to thousands of families whose lives have been shattered by meningitis, a life-threatening illness which can leave survivors with devastating after-effects including brain damage, deafness and, where septicaemia (blood poisoning) has occurred, loss of limbs.

The Meningitis Trust relies almost entirely on voluntary donations to continue its vital work raising awareness of meningitis and providing ongoing support to families who have been traumatised by the disease. It is often not just the person who has had meningitis who needs help. Bereaved families, friends and colleagues may need emotional support while families caring for a child with disabilities are often fearful of what the future holds.

As many as 500,000 people living in the UK have had either viral or bacterial meningitis and up to one adult in every four knows of someone who has had meningitis. The Meningitis Trust, the UK’s longest established meningitis charity, supports anyone affected by this life-changing disease but is dependent on voluntary contributions. Our support is for life.

Specialist support services include a freephone, 24-hour, nurse-led helpline, which received 22,000 calls last year alone; a professional counselling service, home and hospital visits and financial grants which fund anything from specialist equipment to new treatments and therapies.

The Meningitis Trust is committed to raising awareness of meningitis and septicaemia through specialist knowledge, education and training. It is also committed to ensuring that the public is aware of available vaccinations and, in the absence of other vaccines, raising awareness of the signs and symptoms to look out for.

Anyone who would like to know more about the charity and how to get involved in fundraising events can call the Trust on 01453 768000.

Our history

The Meningitis Trust was established in 1986 and is a registered charity. 

It was formed as a direct response to a major outbreak of meningitis which occurred in the Stroud/Stonehouse area of Gloucestershire in the UK in the mid 1980’s.

The Trust was formed by a group of people from the area who had either been affected personally or had experienced meningitis within their families. 

Knowledge about the disease at the time was very limited and this contributed to an atmosphere of fear of the disease in this area and beyond.

From its earliest days, the Trust stimulated significant interest in its work from people all over the UK who had experienced the disease and who, in many cases, had lost loved ones. 

This support has gradually been galvanised by the formation of many Community Help Groups that extend nationally. To meet demand, the Trust’s presence in the community has expanded, both through its network of community development officers in England and Wales, but also its fundraisers in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Trust also has nurses in Scotland and Northern Ireland, who visit hospitals to support patients and families who have been affected by meningitis.

In addition to regional bases, today the Trust also has an office in Eire and has links with many related charities, medical organisations, hospitals and government departments as well as the media, grant-making trusts and leading commercial organisations across the world.

The Meningitis Trust has raised millions of pounds to fund research projects and further develop awareness of meningitis, and provides a wide range of support and assistance to meningitis patients and their families.

It is regarded as an authoritative voice on all aspects of meningitis and is supported by a team of medical/scientific advisors drawn from the leading experts in the field across the UK.