Fundraising news and ideas

Church Harvest 2003

Once again WaterAid is launching a Church Harvest appeal this year asking faith groups around Britain to help WaterAid to give water for harvest and water for life.

A new, improved Church Harvest pack is available free of charge to help with Harvest celebrations.

The pack includes a harvest poster, service or talk outline, hymn and reading suggestions and collection box. The appeal is focused around the story of Marietta Remula who lives in Mozambique and whose acute water shortage problem resulted in the death of two of her family members.

If you would like to join groups around the country this harvest time and help communities like Marietta's you can order a pack by emailing churches@wateraid.org or by writing to WaterAid Church Harvest, PO Box 2002, Northampton, NN3 6YY quoting Reference: CHW.

A gift for life

WaterAid has launched a new campaign to make it easier for supporters to include a gift to WaterAid in their will. If that's something you might consider, then do contact Jo Fox on the number below, and Jo will send you a copy of our latest information on the subject.

Of course, we know and respect that wills are a highly personal issue, so rest assured that requesting the booklet places no obligation on you.

Leaving a gift to WaterAid of any size will help to transform the lives of people long into the future. For your free information leaflet, call Jo Fox on 020 7793 4794.

Recently James Neville bequeathed an exceptionable donation to WaterAid. His family have kindly allowed us to share his generosity. Jo Fox explains: "Mr Neville worked as a plant superintendent for North West Water until retiring in 1978. He must have felt strongly about the importance of water in people's lives as he very generously left £350,000 to WaterAid in his will."

WaterAid is immensely grateful for Mr Neville's kindness and for that of other supporters who leave us gifts in their wills.

Lions support for Malawi

WaterAid is delighted to be partnered with Lions Multiple District 105 (Great Britain and Ireland) once again this year to help communities in Malawi to gain access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education.

WaterAid is very grateful to Lions Clubs in Multiple District 105 who have donated over £90,000 for WaterAid's work in Malawi and have hosted WaterAid Director Ravi Narayanan to address the district Convention in Ireland in May 2003. The address was very well received and WaterAid's work with Lions Clubs is growing nationally.

If you would your Club to get involved with WaterAid's work please call Gemma Harris on 020 7793 2249.

Marathon man (or toilet)-By Rob Le Roy

I wasn't the most popular person on the overcrowded train on the way to Greenwich Park, as I was carrying a rather large cardboard box (about the size of a Fiat Uno and just as heavy it seemed).

It housed my costume for the 2003 Flora London Marathon - a toilet, complete with black cistern, flush handle, removable authentic seat, and just in case somebody failed to see me, a great big loo brush hat. Wow! I attracted quite a crowd while getting into my dazzling toilet costume. An Australian tourist asked me to pose for a photograph, before I was whisked away by the BBC for a live interview.

The costume was surprisingly comfortable during the marathon, not helped by the generous spectators lobbing kilos of coins into my toilet pan. All the way around the 26.2 miles I experienced overwhelming encouragement, I felt sorry for anyone within a 20 metre radius of me, for all you could hear was "Come on Rob the toilet!", nobody else in that zone got a look in. All in all it was a fantastic experience and if I could do it all again... I would.

If you are tempted to run the London Marathon or wish to take part in any other running event for WaterAid, then please call the events team on 020 7793 4531 to find out more about the Running Water team.

The caring card

There are now more than 650 holders of the WaterAid credit card, and to date WaterAid has raised more than £17,000 from the card. The card is issued by the Cooperative Bank, who donate 0.25% of all balances to WaterAid in addition to donating £15 for every new account opened and a further £2.50 if the card has been used within the first six months. There are three cards to choose from: Fixed Rate Platinum, Advantage Platinum and Standard, all of which offer very competitive rates, eg the Standard card has a rate of just 1.9% pa for the first six months.

To request an application pack for the WaterAid/Co-operative Bank Visa card, please phone 0800 002 006 or visit www.co-operativebank.co.uk

Calls maybe monitored and/or record for security and/or training purposes. Credit facilities are provided by The Co-operative Bank p.l.c., PO BOX 101, 1 Balloon Street, Manchester M60 4EP and are not available to non-UK residents or anyone aged under 18.

The Co-operative Bank reserves the right to decline any application, but may, in certain circumstances and at its discretion offer an alternative card account at rate which differs from those advertised. Written quotations are available on request.

Mountain challenges

When it comes to raising funds for WaterAid, many supporters choose to take to the hills (or climbing walls) in WaterAid's range of mountain challenges. Harriet De Bene and Sarah Williams report.

Munro Challenge

On Saturday 14 June, WaterAid attempted to set a new world record by putting a team on the summit of all 303 Munros (mountains over 3000ft) in the British Isles between 12 and 2pm.

WaterAid fundraiser Josephine McLaughlin, says "This is the third Munro Challenge and the best yet, a staggering 2700 people took part and climbed all 296 Munros in the UK plus five in Ireland. We hope to raise £250,000 - a big thank you to everyone. One challenge still remains though - to climb all 303 Munros! We'll be setting the challenge again in a year or two".

Severn Trent's 2003 Mountain Challenge

2003 was the tenth anniversary of Severn Trent's Mountain Challenge. This year over 320 people tackled either a 21 mile or 30 mile route climbing over 5551 feet in the Peak District with an additional 40 people taking part in the Cycle Challenge. With each sponsored step or pedal they took, the participants aim to raise £30,000, which means a grand total of £200,000 will have been raised over the event's 10 year history.

Corbett Challenge

John Wareing and Tom Veitch of United Utilities organised the first Corbett Challenge, aiming to have a team on the summit of each of the 111 mountains over 2500 feet in England and Wales, in September 2001. Two Corbett Challenges have now taken place raising £50,000 for WaterAid.

The 6 Peaks Challenge

The 6 Peaks Challenge, organised by Yorkshire Water, is a real test of endurance. Teams have to walk 50 miles, ascend 20,000 feet, drive 1000 miles and make two sea crossings as they visit the highest peaks of the six regions of the British Isles, all within 72 hours. The first Challenge took place in 1996 and since then over £150,000 has been raised.

All WaterAid mountain challenges comply with the Institute of Fundraising Code of Fundraising Practice on Outdoor Fundraising Events in the UK and a percentage of funds are returned to the mountain community towards footpath restoration and mountain rescue work.

Challenge 8000

If climbing walls are more for you, then how about WaterAid's Challenge 8000? WaterAid is replicating Alan Hinkes', the UK's top high altitude mountaineer, attempt to be the first Briton to climb all 14 mountains in the world over 8000 metres. WaterAid's Challenge 8000 is a national sponsored indoor wall climb, taking place on 28 November at 14 climbing walls across the country, where teams attempt to climb the height of a Challenge 8000 mountain. For more information visit www.wateraidchallenge8000.org

Go to the get events section to find out how you can get involved with these and other events.

Payroll giving

Many employees generously donate funds to WaterAid through payroll giving. Payroll giving is one of the most tax-effective ways of donating to charity, particularly as the Government currently adds 10% to all donations. Employees can support the charity of their choice in a simple, effective way with donations being deducted from salary payments by employers.

Through the Gift Aid scheme the basic rate of income tax paid on the donation can be reclaimed by the charity. For example if you give a donation of £10 to WaterAid, once the tax is reclaimed and the Government supplement added, WaterAid would actually receive £14.10!

WaterAid can help companies set up a payroll giving scheme (the paperwork really is simple) or organise a promotional campaign. For more information on payroll giving to WaterAid, please call Clare in the Corporate Team on 020 7793 4504 or email corporate@wateraid.org