The campaign, which is taking place throughout the UK, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland during May, will see day nurseries, pre-schools and playgroups and schools encouraged to 'Make Music with Marvin'. Children can be sponsored to make their own musical instruments out of plastic bottles, cans and other everyday household objects, and even hold a concert for parents.
The charity is offering a free resource pack for early years settings full of ideas on how to make musical instruments. It also includes a special 'Marvin' song, as well as stickers, balloons and paper banners.
Meningitis and septicaemia affect children aged under five more than any other age group. To help parents and carers recognise the symptoms, the Foundation has launched free information packs called Tot Watch and Baby Watch.
Currently babies are vaccinated at the age of two, three and four months to protect them against Hib disease and Hib meningitis. The Department of Health is to make a booster vaccine available from GPs to all children aged six months to four years later this spring.
However, there is no childhood immunisation programme for pneumococcal meningitis, although a vaccine is available for those under-twos considered to have identified 'risk factors'.
The Meningitis Foundation works to raise awareness of meningitis and septicaemia, offering support to those affected and funding scientific research to eradicate these diseases.
Both the Tot Watch and Make Music with Marvin resource packs are available from the Meningitis Research Foundation, by telephoning 01454 281 814 or e-mailing Sarah Campbell in the charity's fundraising department at sarahc@meningitis.org.
