A THORNBURY-based meningitis charity is to benefit from the fundraising efforts of the town’s mayor this year.

New mayor Cllr Gill Brooks has announced that Meningitis Research Foundation is to be her chosen charity for her year in office.

During the next 12 months Cllr Brooks will organise a series of fundraising initiatives and events to help support the valuable work the charity does.

Cllr Brooks said: "I have chosen Meningitis Research Foundation as my charity as they are making great strides in overcoming Meningitis and septicaemia which can kill in hours. "People who recover may be left with permanent disabilities or a range of after-effects that dramatically alter their lives, especially small children who have to cope with life after sometimes having all four of their limbs amputated and as a mother and grandmother I can’t imagine how difficult that must be to live with."

Kate Baldwin, corporate and development fundraising officer for Meningitis Research Foundation, said the charity was delighted to be chosen as the mayor’s charity of the year.

She said: "As a national charity we are proud to be based in Thornbury and warmly welcome this local support. This partnership will help raise much-needed funds for our work to fight meningitis, as well as raising awareness of this devastating disease that still strikes thousands of people in the UK every year.

"We are always looking for companies and other organisations who would be willing to support us by either considering us as their Charity of the Year, entering teams into sponsored events like the Bristol Half Marathon, or simply having a collecting box in the office".

To find out more about supporting Meningitis Research Foundation call 01454 280412 or email, kateb@meningitis.org