Meningitis and septicaemia – developing a new vaccine

Young Cieran contracted meningitis when he was just a baby and was lucky to survive, but many other children are not so fortunate.

Watch Cieran's story below:
Please be prepared – Cieran’s story is inspirational but some may find it upsetting.

You can read all about our research in to meningitis and septicaemia on the Action Medical Research website.

Please help fund more research like this by taking part in an Action Medical Research challenge event and help raise vital funds.

Our RIDE100 series of 100-mile rides and 100km bike rides returns for 2012 along with the expansion of our DIVA100 bike rides with the introduction of the DIVA100, Scotland and the DIVA100, Warwickshire. Another women-only ride is our women-only London to Paris route.

Help Paddington race in the Olympic Stadium for charity

Please help Paddington race in the Olympic Stadium for charity by following the link below and liking his picture:

Vote for Paddington Bear

Cocktails and Conversation, Edinburgh, 23 March 2012

The Action Medical Research Spring Ladies Lunch formally held at the Sheraton Hotel Edinburgh is taking on a new look this year.  We are still organising a first class event raising funds for the charity, this year the venue is  The George Hotel, 19 - 21 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2PB  just a short walk from Waverley Railway Station.

If you like gritty, Scottish crime writing, you will love meeting the authors Caro Ramsay and Alex Gray.

 For more information on this spring ladies lunch in Edinburgh, visit the Cocktails and Conversation page on the Action Medical Research website.

Trek to support Action Medical Research ride series

Leading bike brand Trek is to team up with children’s charity Action Medical Research in a two-year partnership to support their popular RIDE100 and DIVA100 cycling events in 2012 and 2013.

The RIDE100 series features 22 100-mile rides or 100-kilometre rides taking place in stunning cycling locations across the UK. The DIVA100 series, launched last year by TV’s Davina McCall, is the charity’s expanding range of women-only rides, which in 2012 will feature new events in the Midlands and Scotland alongside the established south-east ride in Sussex.

These events have enjoyed continued growth and success in the booming sportive market. The new partnership will see Trek utilising its prominent position in the cycling industry to promote the events and encourage more people to ride more often, via its extensive dealer network in the UK.

Action Medical Research funds vital work into conditions affecting babies and children and is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2012. Research currently being supported includes work around meningitis, epilepsy, cerebral palsy and premature birth, as well as some very rare and distressing conditions that severely affect children.

Malcolm Davies, Trek’s European Subsidiary Director, says: “Trek is happy to support the work of Action Medical Research through this partnership. The charity’s experience and professionalism in organising sportive events has been proven over more than five years and we are excited to be associated with both the RIDE100 and DIVA100 series. We are confident that together with Action we can create a memorable experience for enthusiast riders, and at the same time help raise money for a worthwhile cause.”

Mark Trott, Cycling Development Manager at Action Medical Research, says: “We are extremely excited to be working with Trek and very proud to associate our events with one of cycling’s biggest brands.”

For more details on Action Medical Research cycling events, go to www.action.org.uk/cycling

Three DIVA100 UK bike rides and a women-only London to Paris route

DIVA100 series

For 2012 we have added to our successful DIVA100 series with rides in both Scotland and Warwickshire.

The Sussex DIVA100 continues from 2011 starting at Cowdray Park on 13 May 2012. Registration is open for all three DIVA100 rides.

The registration fee for the DIVA100 rides is £28 plus a commitment to raise a minumum of £50 to support sick and disabled babies and children.

London to Paris bike ride

2012 also sees the introduction of a women-only route on our London to Paris bike ride which takes place on 18-22 July 2012.

The women-only route starts at the O2 Arena taking you through to Dover where you will cross the Channel to Calais where you will cycle through to Abbeville and Beauvais before arriving at Paris in time to watch the Tour de France finale.

Find out more on our London to Paris bike ride page.

Winter training tips from Matt Buck

Matt Buck has been working in the Action Medical Research events department for nearly five years and in that time has run five marathons and four ultra marathons for the charity. Earlier this year he and his running partner completed the massive challenge of running across Scotland. They covered more than 130 miles in five days and raised over £4,000 for Action Medical Research. He is our very own Action man!

There are very few weeks of the year when you won’t find Matt pounding the streets of Surrey training for his next big challenge. Like all runners he has days when pulling on his trainers and hitting the pavement again is the last thing on his mind, especially through the winter months. The short, cold days make it much harder for runners to find motivation and the time needed to train but Matt has a few tips he’s picked up over the years to help get him out of the door and covering the miles. Here are some ideas to keep you going strong through the winter months for whatever challenge you have planned for 2012:

Get the gear

While you will warm up on your run, you will still lose heat through your extremities so make sure you pull on a hat and gloves before you head out. If you’re running on dark lanes it is also worth getting yourself some high-visibility gear; either a vest or straps you can wrap around your arms and legs and, if need be, a head torch. They are not expensive and will help keep you safe.

Buy a buff

This is a lightweight circular scarf. When you are running in the cold you can pull it up over your mouth, this helps to warm the air you breathe in before it hits your lungs, stopping it from being such a shock to your system and preventing cold burns on your throat.

Run in your lunch break

The short winter days mean you’ll often end up having to run in the dark. Running in your lunch break gives you a chance to get outside during the warmest part of the day. If your boss isn’t convinced you can tell them that exercise has been reported to reduce stress levels and increases your learning capabilities, so everyone’s a winner!

Don’t think about – just do it!

As Matt says “the hardest step on any run is the first step out of the door”. Stop thinking about it and just get out and do it. Focus on how good you will feel at the end of the run rather than how you feel now.

Reward yourself

Set yourself targets and arrange a treat for when you hit them. Whether it’s a massage or, as in Matt’s case, a nice cold pint, it’s great to know you have something ahead to celebrate meeting your running objective. As Matt says: “that pint will taste twice as good after you’ve completed your run!”

Good luck with whatever challenge you have set yourself for 2012, and keep on running!

If you are looking for a running event in 2012, check out our running calendar.