Keep your eye out 4 Meningitis bus
On Tuesday 30th October, local bus company First Bristol will join forces with local charity Meningitis UK to launch a bus with a giant display on the back featuring the warning statement ‘Meningitis can kill in under 4 hours' to urge local residents to watch out for meningitis over the next six-months.
The advert also portrays a little 11-year-old girl, Louise Greer, who lost both her legs and an arm to meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia at the age of two and has since helped Meningitis UK raise awareness of the disease nationwide, as well as thousands of pounds towards their search for a vaccine.
CBS who control all the advertising on First buses have generously donated the advertising space to Meningitis UK, which means the advert is costing the charity nothing.
Steve Dayman, Chief Executive of Meningitis UK said, "We are really pleased that First have teamed up with Meningitis UK and we are really grateful to both them and CBS. By joining forces we can achieve so much more. As we approach the Winter months when the number of cases of meningitis dramatically rise, the bus will play an important part in highlighting the dangers of the disease and the importance of acting quickly, which can mean the difference between life and death."
The bus will also be used to encourage local residents to support the charity's ‘Search 4 a Vaccine Campaign' which aims to raise £7million over the next seven years to help develop a vaccine against Meningitis B and was launched earlier this year. Meningitis B is the most common form of meningitis in the UK, for which there is still no vaccine and accounts for almost 90% of all cases. Adverts inside the bus and other buses in the area will be used to highlight the charity's upcoming events and encourage local support.
Awareness information such as wallet-sized symptoms cards and ‘What you need to know about Meningitis' leaflets will also be distributed through First bus stations and travel shops.
Simon Cursio, Commercial Director of First Group Bristol said, '' Meningitis UK came to us and asked if we would be interested in helping them to promote their ‘Search 4 a Vaccine Campaign'. We thought the best way to do this would be to use some of the advertising space on one of our buses, the charity needs to get it's message across and we are delighted that we can help to do this. Anyone who happens to be behind the 'Meningitis bus' will be able to read the information and hopefully they will consider helping the charity raise funds in the future. As a parent myself I hope people will pick-up on key messages and learn more about the symptoms of Meningitis, as it can kill in just 4 hours.''
The bus will be officially set off on its first journey on Wednesday 31st October and will be travelling around the local area for the next 6 months, so keep your eye out!
MeningitisUK · Registered Charity No.1076774
