Meridian School has joined The Great Toothbrush Rush this week to support the vital work carried out by The Mercy Ships organisation.

Students have been asked to donate new toothbrushes to support the work that the state-of-the-art hospital ship carries out in different countries in Africa.

The ship travels to a different African country each year – Madagascar in 2016 – and spends 10 months treating thousands of patients.

Veronica Weatherhead has worked as an admissions nurse on the ship in five different countries including Togo, Sierra Leone and Congo.

“A simple toothbrush can be lifesaving - without good oral hygiene infection sets in and with limited dental care available something as innocent as a gum infection can rapidly lead to an abscess, which left untreated, could eventually lead to sepsis. I know the Mercy Ships dental team will be delighted with the support they are receiving from Meridian School.”

The Royston Great Toothbrush Rush be running until August 31 and people can drop toothbrushes off to No.3. Royston in Melbourn Street.

The next 10-month service will begin in Benin in September.

You can read more about Mercy Ships at www.mercyships.org.uk.