Great Western Railway and Meningitis Now team up ahead of World Meningitis Day

Great Western Railway today united with the UK’s leading meningitis charity, Meningitis Now, ahead of World Meningitis Day.

Together they are ‘lighting the tracks ahead’ – to a future where nobody in the UK dies of meningitis and all those affected get the support they need to rebuild their lives.

Meningitis Now supporters joined a dedicated carriage on the 0959 service from Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington, calling at Stroud where the charity is based. On board they shared their meningitis experiences with other supporters of the charity and highlighted the importance of World Meningitis Day in fighting back against the deadly disease.

The partnership is part of global World Meningitis Day on Saturday 5 October, which aims to raise awareness of meningitis, encourage those affected to tell their stories and light the way ahead to defeat meningitis.

At stations along the line today, including Gloucester, Stonehouse, Stroud, Kemble, Swindon, Didcot Parkway and Reading, the charity’s volunteers raised awareness of meningitis and its symptoms and explained the support available from Meningitis Now.

The charity called on supporters and its partners to sign a special ‘pledge board’ designed in the style of an enormous train ticket, pledging to help Meningitis Now ‘light the tracks ahead’ and join the global initiative to reduce cases of the disease.

They also collected donations for the charity as it works towards a future where no-one in the UK loses their life to meningitis and everyone affected gets the support they need.

The special train arrived at London Paddington just before midday to be greeted by charity supporters and Meningitis Now president, TV and radio presenter Lisa Snowdon.

On World Meningitis Day itself, GWR and Network Rail will be lighting up Paddington Station at 2030 in the charity’s corporate orange colour to help raise further awareness, as part of the worldwide movement to defeat meningitis.

GWR Customer Services Director Rachel Geliamassi, above right, said:

“Keeping our communities safe is at the heart of what we do at GWR, and that commitment extends beyond trains and stations. We are proud to support Meningitis Now – our Stroud-based neighbours – with the Light the Tracks Ahead campaign, to help save lives by raising awareness of this life-changing disease. Seeing campaigners and GWR colleagues working together across our network to raise money for those affected is the perfect way to start this partnership.”

Meningitis Now’s chief executive Tom Nutt, above centre, said:

“We hope people around the UK will join us in lighting the way ahead this World Meningitis Day and remember those whose lives have been devastated by this disease, whilst also showing their hope for a future where meningitis has been defeated.

“We’re really grateful to GWR for their support in helping us raise such valuable awareness and engaging and educating their passengers, staff and the public in this way for World Meningitis Day. And particularly to GWR and Network Rail for their grand gesture in lighting up Paddington Station, which promises to be spectacular.

“Meningitis is a devastating disease which can strike quickly, but with support like this we are confident we will beat it.

“Wherever you are, join the millions of people worldwide by lighting your own candle, lantern or fairy lights and share it on social media on 5 October at 8.30pm, using #WorldMeningitisDay or #DefeatMeningitis.”

Every year people come together on World Meningitis Day, organised by the international Confederation of Meningitis Organisations, to raise awareness of meningitis, its signs and symptoms, the vaccines that are available to prevent it and that this disease needs global attention and effort to beat it.

There are more than 2.5 million cases of meningitis worldwide every year. It kills one in ten people with around half of meningitis deaths being children under 5. One in five survivors will live with lifelong disabilities, including hearing loss, acquired brain injury, limb loss and epilepsy.

The World Health Organization has also set out a Global Road Map to Defeat Meningitis by 2030.

Meningitis Now is the founder of the meningitis movement and the only charity dedicated to fighting meningitis in the UK. With nearly 40 years’ experience it is working towards a future where no one in the UK loses their life to meningitis and everyone affected gets the support they need to rebuild their lives.