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Meningitis charity gets boost from band, The Fratellis
26 September 2008
A family, who lost their son to meningitis last October, are holding a ‘celebrity backed’ raffle, featuring some impressive prizes for music lovers. The raffle will be drawn on December 8 - and with tickets costing just £2 each, the family are hoping to raise over £50,000 for national meningitis charity, the Meningitis Trust.
Kim and Sinclair Macleod, whose son Calum was just 12 when he contracted bacterial meningitis, are hoping that the raffle’s fantastic prizes of signed guitar Jon Fratelli played in Chelsea Dagger video, drum skin and original ‘Chelsea Dagger’ artwork – all kindly donated by the band, the Fratellis – will raise some interest from fans of the band.
Kim Macleod says; “The Fratellis were Calum’s favourite band and we’re overjoyed that they’ve been so generous with their donations. We are hoping that this raffle will not only raise vital funds for the Meningitis Trust, but also awareness of the disease. With prizes from such a well known band, we hope that it will attract a lot of attention, especially from youngsters who may know very little about the disease. Ideally, we’d love all those who buy a ticket to take away some knowledge of the disease and its symptoms, as well as perhaps the top prize!”
The Fratellis have also dedicated their second album, Here We Stand, to Calum and their support has been invaluable to both his family and the work of the Meningitis Trust. The band is helping to raise awareness of meningitis to children and young people who may not have been aware of the dangers of the disease before.
Jon Fratelli says; "The band was really saddened to hear about the tragic loss of Calum to Meningitis. The work his family are doing to raise awareness of how serious this disease is and how it affects many people of all ages is a lasting tribute to Calum. Hopefully the raffle will be a great success and some good can come from such a sad event"
Meningitis can affect anyone, of any age, at any time. It can strike in an instant, but its impact can last a lifetime. The Meningitis Trust, the UK’s longest established meningitis charity, is dedicated to helping rebuild lives shattered by meningitis.
It helps around 20,000 people each year through its range of specialist services; giving vital support to those who have been affected by this life-changing disease. With as many as 500,000 people living in the UK who have had either viral or bacterial meningitis and up to one adult in every four knowing someone who has had meningitis, the charity’s ongoing work is much-needed. However the Trust relies on voluntary donations to continue its work, so fundraising such as Kim and Sinclair’s, in Calum’s memory, is vital to its future.
Anne Currie, Fundraising Manager at the Meningitis Trust, says; “We are thrilled that The Fratellis have given these unique prizes for a raffle in Calum’s memory and thank them for their generous support.”
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