Brighton pub Taps into WaterAid

Chris Stewart has raised over £2,000 in just ten months

Credit: WaterAid/Marco Betti

8 February 2010

Since March 2009 Chris Stewart, owner of the Prince Albert pub in Brighton, has encouraged his customers to make a voluntary donation to WaterAid in return for tap water. Simply by keeping a collection bottle on the bar, Chris has raised over £2,000 in just ten months.

Over 100 establishments across the UK are now part of the Tap into WaterAid campaign where customers are invited to give a voluntary donation of 15 pence to WaterAid for a glass or jug of tap water.

Pubs, restaurants and conference centres have raised over £25,000 since the initiative first began. All funds go towards WaterAid's life-saving water, sanitation and hygiene education projects throughout Africa, Asia and the Pacific Region.

Chris said: "We've always collected money for charity but when I went to India and saw the problems there I thought Tap into WaterAid ticked all of the boxes. It's really important, it doesn't cost us anything to do and the money goes where it's most needed. I hope more pubs and restaurants will feel inspired to get involved."

WaterAid is calling on public houses and other establishments across the UK to take part in Tap into WaterAid for one week, starting on World Water Day which falls on Monday 22 March. Pubs and restaurants as far as Belfast and the Isle of Sky have already signed up their support.

WaterAid's Cara Keane, overseeing the project, said:
"We're hoping we will soon see both restaurant managers and customers feeling motivated to join in with Tap into WaterAid. As it costs just £15 for WaterAid to bring safe water, sanitation and hygiene education to someone in poverty, the momentum that we could create through this initiative would literally change lives. Water is life – there's no question of that – choose to Tap into WaterAid."

To find out more, visit www.wateraid.org/tapintowateraid or email tapintowateraid@wateraid.org 

Notes to Editors

WaterAid's vision is of a world where everyone has access to safe water and sanitation.

Our mission is to transform lives by improving access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in the world's poorest communities. We work with partners and influence decision-makers to maximise our impact.

• At least 4000 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.
• Just £15 can enable one person to access safe water, improved hygiene and sanitation.