CHILDREN and staff at nurseries in Alveston and Charfield donned purple clothing to mark Meningitis Awareness Week.

Natural Choices Nurseries in Alveston and Charfield raised awareness of a new MenB vaccine available to babies and the symptoms of the disease between September 14 and 20.

Both nurseries held a purple day where children and staff wore purple, and also held cake sales raising over £200 for international charity Meningitis Research Foundation.

Laura Lee from Natural Choices Nurseries said: “Both of our Natural Choices Nurseries, with the help of the children and parents, showed our support for Meningitis Awareness Week by holding a cake sale and a purple day. 

“We believe it is important that parents are aware of the symptoms of meningitis, and know that a free vaccine is available – especially as children under five are at a higher risk of contracting meningitis than older children and adults. 

“It’s been a great way to help raise awareness of meningitis and septicaemia amongst the local community.”

From the 1 September, the world’s first comprehensive vaccination programme against meningococcal B (MenB) meningitis and septicaemia for babies has been introduced into the UK’s immunisation programme. 


Chief executive of Meningitis Research Foundation, Christopher Head, said: “A big thank you to Natural Choices Nurseries for supporting our Meningitis Awareness Week with their Purple Day and Cake Sale and for raising awareness of the new MenB vaccine with parents.

“We hope this vaccine will save many lives and spare countless families the trauma of seeing a loved one die or become seriously disabled because of MenB.”

To find out more about the new MenB vaccine visit meningitis.org/menB.