Many people find it helpful to talk to someone with a similar experience of meningitis and septicaemia. Since 2000 our telephone befriending network has been bringing together people who have been affected by meningitis and septicaemia. The Meningitis Research Foundation runs a scheme that offers ongoing telephone support from a trained befriender to those more recently affected by meningitis and septicaemia and has Approved Provider Standard from the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation. We are looking for people who have been affected by meningitis, either personally or through a close friend or relative, to train as a telephone befriender. Befrienders have a range of experiences of meningitis and septicaemia. Some have lost a loved one to the disease, others have had someone close to them recover with disabilities or have recovered from the disease themselves. To achieve the best possible outcome we aim to match people’s experience as closely as possible and as a result we need more volunteers with a variety of experience. Don’t think because your experience is rare we don’t need you. We do! If you feel you could offer support to someone who has been recently affected by these diseases please contact the Meningitis Research Foundation. Volunteering hours are flexible depending on your availability and full training and ongoing support is given.