Caroline Gardner is proud to support Meningitis Now as the beneficiary charity for its annual Christmas card campaign. As a company we have raised in excess of £290,000 and continue to donate and help raise awareness by including information within our charity card packs.
Each pack of Christmas cards proudly displays the Meningitis Now logo and includes information about the charity and their lifesaving work. For every pack sold*, 25p will go directly to the charity to fund its campaigns and support families affected by the disease.
In 2019 we were delighted to launch a second Caroline Gardner range of 100,000 reusable bags to go on sale in Waitrose stores across the country. The four colourful and striking designs included two jute shoppers and two foldaway totes made from recycled plastic bottles. Beth Bottrill, Director of Fundraising, said: “We’re delighted the bags made an appearance again this year and are really grateful to Caroline Gardner for supporting us in this way – their support makes a huge difference to those who are at risk from meningitis and those whose lives have been changed forever because of it. There’s not an easier way to support our work than buying a bag or two and you’re cutting back on plastic bag use too.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JoOlXXpIEM&ab_channel=MeningitisNow
Why Meningitis?
Founders Caroline and Angus Gardner chose the charity almost 20 years ago, having had a personal experience with the illness when their then 6 months old son, Sebastian contracted Meningococcal Septicaemia. Thankfully he recovered and the family looked to help raise awareness and fundraise in the form of Caroline’s specially designed Christmas cards.
Meningitis Now is here to ensure no one needs to face meningitis alone. Their vision is simple - 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.
Every year in the UK, 8,000 people contract either bacterial or viral meningitis. Around one in 10 who contract bacterial meningitis will die. Of those that survive, 30%-50% can be left with lifelong after-effects, such as hearing and sight loss, acquired brain injury, epilepsy, special educational needs, chronic pain and fatigue. Survivors often have limbs and digits amputated as a result of associated septicaemia.
Meningitis is indiscriminate; it can affect anyone, of any age and can rapidly become life-threatening. Vaccines are the only way to prevent meningitis.
Until the disease is eliminated from the UK, it remains as important as ever for us to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of the disease, fund research to find better vaccines and treatments and deliver our highly valued range of information and support services.
About Meningitis Now
Thirty years ago, following an outbreak of meningitis in Stroud & Stonehouse in Gloucestershire, a group of parents came together to fight back against this devastating disease. Their aim was to increase public awareness of meningitis and the signs and symptoms, fund research into a vaccine that would save lives, and provide support and information to those who had been affected.
Meningitis changes lives. What happens when meningitis strikes cannot be changed but the charity can help people rebuild their lives, through emotional, practical and financial support. Their free comprehensive support service includes:
- The Meningitis Now nurse-led Helpline (0808 80 10 388) is available to anyone affected by or concerned about meningitis. Experts provide emotional support, practical advice, disease and vaccine information and can signpost to further support.
- Four Community Support Officers based regionally across the U.K who are available to anyone living with the impact of meningitis, offering a listening ear, home visits, accurate disease information, referrals to other specialist organisations and access to financial support.
- The Rebuilding Futures Fund pays for items and services to improve the wellbeing of people affected by meningitis. For example, specialist equipment, disability aids, rehabilitation costs, training, counselling, creative therapies and home adaptations.
- Believe and Achieve’ is a programme for 14-25-year-olds to help them to prepare for a successful future and take their next step into education or employment. It offers workshops, coaching, mentoring, peer support, counselling and opportunities to meet others.
- They also run support events to bring together people – such as Family Days, activity weekends for teenagers and ‘Forever’ events for bereaved families.
*donations on Christmas cards are only paid on non sale items
