Celebrity and high profile supporters

DJ and Presenter Tyler West visited Zambia as WaterAid’s newest ambassador and to launch the Water Means Life appeal.  He visited schools and communities to hear their stories of how living with and without clean water impacts the lives of the people living there.

British actor Tobias Menzies has starred in The Crown, Game of Thrones and Outlander.

He became a WaterAid ambassador in 2019 and is keen to help raise awareness of the global water crisis.

Swimmer Ellie Simmonds OBE holds five Gold Paralympic medals.

She was so inspired by her visit to our work in Uganda, she became a WaterAid ambassador and has supported our work ever since.

Baker and author Nadiya Hussain won the popular BBC show The Great British Bake Off in 2015.

Her parents are from Bangladesh, and during childhood visits she witnessed the impact of living without access to clean water and decent toilets first-hand.

Actress Amanda Mealing is best known for her role as Casualty’s Connie Beauchamp.

In 2019, she visited health centres, schools and communities in Ghana to see how staff and patients cope without access to clean water and good hygiene.

Actor Dougray Scott has starred in many TV programmes and films including the Ripley’s Game and Enigma.

Dougray has visited our work in Mozambique, witnessing what life is like for those denied access to clean water.

S Club 7’s Rachel Stevens became WaterAid’s first celebrity ambassador in 2012.

She has visited our work in Ethiopia, where she met families living without access to clean water and decent toilets.

Songhoy Blues are a desert blues music group from Mali. They have first-hand experience of what life is like living without clean water and decent toilets and are passionate supporters of WaterAid’s work. 

They headlined our online music event, Bathroom Sessions and have visited our work in Mali. 

Legendary drummer of The Beatles, Ringo Starr, has supported WaterAid for several years. In 2012, Ringo and his wife Barbara opened the WaterAid garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. In our 2019 Glastonbury campaign, he designed a show-stopping badge.

Helen Lederer is a comedian, actress and writer. She is best known for her role in Absolutely Fabulous.

She has supported WaterAid for a number of years, including our It's No Joke! campaign for World Toilet Day.

Musician and BBC Radio 6 Music presenter Cerys Matthews visited our work in India and has also supported our campaigns including To be a Girl and Deliver Life.

YouTube stars John Chapman and Leon Bustin form The Lean Machines, who focus on fitness and nutrition.

In 2015, John and Leon visited WaterAid’s work in Zambia to see the impact of living without clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene.

Samantha Barks is an actress and singer, who starred as Eponine in the stage and film versions of Les Mis. She launched our To be a girl campaign after a visit to our work in Madagascar. 

Actress and TV presenter Nadia Sawalha starred as the leader of the Period Gang in WaterAid’s campaign film, Peaky Bleeders. The film’s message calls on people to talk more openly about periods, and help end the stigma and taboos that often surround them.

Actor and comedian Brian Blessed OBE has supported WaterAid for some time. He starred in a film to address the progress that has been made towards alleviating poverty through access to water:  

“It’s now 2019, and there are still millions of children who face the dangers of drinking dirty water every day. This shouldn’t be normal anymore.”

Instagram sensation and midwife Clemmie Hooper travelled to Madagascar in 2017 to meet her counterparts. Joined by her husband Simon Hooper, they witnessed the challenges faced by people denied access to clean water and good hygiene.

Actress and star of The Bridge, Sofia Helin has supported WaterAid on several occasions. She visited Cambodia to see the transformational effect clean water has on communities.

Acclaimed film director Shekhar Kapur grew up in India, where he witnessed what life is like for those who struggle to find a reliable, clean water source.

In collaboration with WaterAid, his fictional story Brides of Well is based on the interlinked issues of poverty, access to water and child marriage in India.

Shappi Khorsandi is a comedian and author who has supported WaterAid for many years, including running a half marathon and hosting a comedy night for World Toilet Day: It’s No Joke festival.

American singer and songwriter Sheila Ferguson is passionate that everyone should have clean water and is a big supporter of our work.

She recently hosted our virtual Christmas Get Together.

British actor Jeremy Irons has fronted a number of WaterAid’s TV appeals. He has supported our work for several years.

Cyrille Regis MBE and his wife Julie visited a WaterAid project in Ethiopia in 2007. Ever since they have been passionate believers in WaterAid’s mission.

We were honoured that he was a champion of our work until his sad passing in January 2018. His support inspired many people to get involved with our work, for that we will always be grateful.

Chas was a valued long-standing supporter of WaterAid, raising money at events and asking for donations in lieu of birthday presents. We were honoured that he supported our work before his sad passing in September 2018. 

In December 2018 his family and musical partner Dave Peacock led a star-studded evening of entertainment in memory of Chas,  raising nearly £40,000 for WaterAid.