Generous easyJet passengers have donated more than �200,000 to the airline�s charity partner The National Society for Epilepsy (NSE).

easyJet has already made a corporate donation of �50,000 to NSE and pledged to boost funds for the charity�s Seahorse Appeal through on board collections during July and August.

The partnership was launched at the end of last year by BATFA award winning actor Bill Nighy, who is also a charity ambassador for NSE, said:

�I am delighted that the partnership between NSE and easyJet that I launched a year ago has been so successful both in raising money for research and raising awareness of this condition which is so often misunderstood. NSE is at the cutting edge of research into the causes and treatment of epilepsy � working towards a goal of seizure freedom for all. �

NSE�s �Seahorse Appeal� is a fund which supports vital research into the causes, diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy and NSE�s MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanner.

David Josephs, head of fundraising at NSE said: �We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of easyJet and its passengers. Thanks to the airline we have boosted our fundraising appeal and raised awareness of epilepsy which is the most common neurological condition in the UK � yet often misunderstood.�

The link between epilepsy and the seahorse is the hippocampus, Latin for seahorse. The hippocampus is the seahorse-shaped area of the brain which is often the site of unstable epilepsy.

Around 1 in 130 people in the UK live with epilepsy and 80 new cases are diagnosed every working day. A diagnosis of epilepsy can have a huge impact on lifestyle. NSE�s mission is to enhance the quality of life of people affected by epilepsy.

-ENDS-

Media enquiries: NSE Press Office Amanda Cleaver 01494 601404 Jack Mundy 01494 601417 Margaret Thomas 01494 601401

Notes to Editors

The total figure for the collections can be broken down regionally as follows:

Belfast �26,500; Bristol �15,300; Nottingham East Midlands �4,500; Edinburgh �5,111; Gatwick �65,700; Glasgow �6,300; Liverpool 12,100; Luton �31,300; Newcastle �10,900; Stansted �30,600 NB All figures are rounded