WaterAid creates a stink at Glastonbury 2009

A WaterAid toilet goes crowd surfing.

Credit: WaterAid

23 June 2009

WaterAid, one of the three official charities of the festival, are calling on festival goers to join them in urging G8 world leaders to prioritise water and toilets for the world's poorest people.

According to Gerry Austin, WaterAid's Campaigns Officer:

"With 4,000 children in the developing world dying every day from diarrhoea and 2.5 billion people without any sanitation whatsoever, WaterAid is asking revellers to create a big stink to put a stop to the water and sanitation scandal by signing our petition to Gordon Brown.

"Water, sanitation and hygiene education are the building blocks for development. This simple formula is as easy as child's play, yet governments fail to prioritise these fundamental human rights alongside health and education."

Revellers will be able to unleash their inner child at the WaterAid stand next to the Pyramid stage, and build up WaterAid's life-saving message with giant building blocks, as well as add comments and pictures to a giant chalkboard. At the stand revellers can get themselves some funky new festival badges, 'love your loo' t-shirts and tattoos, and get a refreshing glass of water. Even if there's a downpour, WaterAid ponchos will be on sale!

In between her own gigs, singer/songwriter Emmy the Great will be backstage at the John Peel Stage interviewing other bands for our YouTube channel and asking them to sign our petition. She will also be tweeting for WaterAid before and during the festival. Be sure to follow her on Twitter for some exclusive insights! Also keep an eye out for #musicmonday and #waglastonbury on Twitter from Monday 22 June, and play the WaterAid Glastonbury music game to get in the mood.

Dedicated volunteers will once again be keeping WaterAid's famous range of toilets spic and span – the African-style latrines in King's Meadow and the 'She Pees' for ladies in a hurry. It's easy; and girls can wear the new 'Sheezy Peezy' badge to prove it! 

In line with the festival's motto 'We're in it together' WaterAid's recycling teams will be helping keep the site clean and litter free. We will be encouraging everyone to love their loo and not pee in the streams. If everyone peed in the streams or ditches just once during the event, it would pollute the farm's water supply putting the animals in danger and the festival at risk.

Poverty will never be eradicated where people have nowhere to go to the toilet. Please create a big stink in order to allow people all over the world the same dignity we are all afforded.

For more information visit www.wateraid.org/glasto, or to donate text 'WATER' to 83010.

Onsite contacts:  Lisa Martin 07971 613 984 or Mel Tompkins 07971 937670

WaterAid press office: 020 7793 4790 or email annnoon@wateraid.org

Journalists are invited to attend The Opening Number from 6.30pm on Thursday 25 June. Michael and Emily Eavis together with Greenpeace, Oxfam and WaterAid will be hosting this launch party in the Earth Dome backstage. Full details of speakers and timings will be at the press tent when you arrive.
 
Saturday 27 June: WaterAid will be inviting bands and celebrities backstage to join them for a day of fun at their mini-fete, and Tinariwen will be playing in the Earth Dome. Check the press tent or call Lisa/Mel for more details.

Notes to Editors:

WaterAid enables the world's poorest people to gain access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education. Our vision is of a world where everyone has access to these basic human rights which underpin health, education and livelihoods and form the first, essential step in overcoming poverty.

• At least 4,000 children die every day as a result of diseases caused by unclean water and poor sanitation.
• 884 million people in the world do not have access to safe water. This is roughly one in eight of the world's population.
• 2.5 billion people in the world do not have access to adequate sanitation, this is almost two fifths of the world's population.
• WaterAid projects providing safe water, sanitation and hygiene education cost just £15 per head.