THORNBURY has welcomed a team of fundraisers who have finished a 10-day cycle ride from Scotland.

Father Chris Wilson and six friends from Newcastle arrived at the Thornbury-based Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF) yesterday after cycling 500 miles between all the regional offices of the charity to raise awareness and vital funds for the charity.

The team’s journey began during Meningitis Awareness Week at the MRF offices in Edinburgh on September 19. They then travelled to Belfast, arriving on September 20, and from there they rode to Dublin, arriving on September 22, before crossing to Holyhead and cycling the 250 miles to Thornbury.

During the course of the ride Chris and his team were joined by parents who have been affected by meningitis.

Chris said he decided to do the cycle challenge on behalf of MRF after his daughter Sophie contracted Group B Meningococcal Meningitis aged 17 in 2009.

He said: "Sophie spent a week in hospital and fortunately she survived, having had an early diagnosis and treatment, however, many more are less fortunate.

"We kicked off the challenge during Meningitis Awareness to highlight MRF’s ‘Counting the Cost of Meningitis’ campaign which is calling on the government to push for a Men B vaccine."

Chris Head, chief executive of MRF, said: "A huge thank you to Chris Wilson and his team of intrepid cyclists who undertook this challenge."

To support MRF’s latest campaign ‘Counting the Cost of Meningitis’, which is lobbying government to introduce a vaccine for Men B as soon as possible, sign the charity’s online petition at www.meningitis.org/sign-petition