Meningitis Research Foundation is a national registered charity established in 1989. From small beginnings, the Foundation has grown into an international charity at the forefront of fighting death and disability resulting from meningitis and septicaemia.

Since the charity's inception, thousands of people have become members of the Foundation, working together to help us achieve our vision of a world free from meningitis and septicaemia.

The charity's staff are located at offices in Bristol (registered office), Belfast, Dublin and Edinburgh and work to achieve the charity's objects in a professional and effective way. The Foundation's Chief Executive is Denise Vaughan.

• To promote research into the causes and treatment of all forms of meningitis and associated infections
• To promote the dissemination of knowledge gained by such research
• To advance the education of the public in the causes, treatment and prevention of meningitis and associated infections
• To help relieve the distress to individuals and families caused by death and damage through meningitis and associated infections

• Meningitis Research Foundation is currently funding 21 research projects in the UK and internationally to a total value in excess of £2.5 million into the prevention, detection and treatment of meningitis and septicaemia.
• The Foundation runs dynamic and effective awareness programmes for both the general public and health professionals, which reflect best current understanding of meningitis and septicaemia. The charity has distributed millions of life-saving symptoms cards, leaflets and posters to the general public and health professionals free of charge.
• The website is consistently rated number one in the world by the Health on the Net Foundation on the subject of meningitis.
• The 24 hour helpline (Freefone in UK, LoCall rates in the Republic of Ireland), run by trained helpline staff and nurses, is widely quoted by the media in articles about meningitis and recommended by public health doctors, giving concerned members of the public access to information and support whatever the time of the day or night. The helpline takes thousands of calls each year from the public and health and education professionals dealing with the diseases.
• The charity has a membership base of over 5,000 member families whose personal experience of these diseases informs all aspects of Meningitis Research Foundation's work.
• The Foundation offers befriending to its members. Many of our members are skilled in befriending others, and they are supported by the charity's befreinder training programme.
• Members contribute to research projects directly, such as the Genetic Susceptibility Study, and a project on the physical, educational and social outcomes of pneumococcal meningitis, providing researchers with direct access to a valuable database.
• Members also work with the charity on awareness and fundraising work.