A PAIR of charities who recently merged to form the largest meningitis organisation in the UK have revealed their new name and look.

Stroud-based Meningitis Trust and Meningitis UK, founded by Alveston campaigner Steve Dayman, will now be known as Meningitis Now.

The brand launch begins a busy week for the charity with a House of Commons reception.

Staff and volunteers will also deliver an interim petition to Downing Street urging the government to introduce a new vaccine against meningitis B - the culmination of its ongoing Beat It Now campaign.

Chief executive of Meningitis Now, Sue Davie, explained the thinking behind the merged charities' new moniker: “Our name reflects the need for action NOW. We are bold, bright and brave driving towards our vision with energy, commitment and determination.

“This is one of the most important weeks in our history, bringing two organisations together under one name and continuing our fight for a meningitis B vaccine.

“We want to make the biggest impact we can at Downing Street and Westminster and our new brand will achieve that.”

Meningitis Trust and Meningitis UK announced their intention to merge in March.

Although a single entity they will continue to operate from their individual bases in Stroud and Kingswood, South Gloucestershire, throughout 2014.

The UK has one of the highest Meningitis B incidence rates in the world, affecting an average of 1,870 people each year. It accounts for almost 90 per cent of the UK’s meningococcal cases.

The charity’s Beat it Now campaign was started to put pressure on the coalition to make the new Meningitis B vaccine available to all new babies on the NHS.

The vaccine is currently being considered for introduction into the childhood immunisation programme by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

Steve Dayman, Meningitis Now’s executive founder, launched Meningitis UK 30 years ago after losing his baby son Spencer to the infection in 1982.

He said: “We may have a new name but we still have the same goals – the need for action now on developing and introducing new vaccines.

“Time lost is lives lost and we’re urging the government to act quickly. The last major meningitis vaccine took five years to be included – we simply cannot wait that long. I would ask anyone who hasn’t signed the petition to please do so.

“Meningitis Now will be here now and for as long as meningitis remains an issue in the UK, saving lives and rebuilding futures.

For more information on Meningitis Now, the disease and to support Beat it Now! visit www.MeningitisNow.org

To make a donation text MenB10 to 70070.