WORLD WATER DAY

I'm collecting, he's collecting...
A rainwater collecting "jar" in Uganda. As an amateur ceramicist I can only marvel at this!

Yesterday was World Water Day.

This was established by the United Nations 20 years ago to focus attention on the lack of safe drinking water in specific parts of the World.

I was rather late discovering this so it was a bit of a rush to produce publicity for the windows if the DT Department at Elmgreen.

Today 783 million people - about 11% of the World's population lack access to safe drinking water.

700,000 children die every year from diarrhoea caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation - that's almost 2,000 a day.

These are shocking facts to throw at young people. Ironically it is the very young who are most at risk of these diseases.For the purposes if campaigning I try to balance this with positive messages - about how the efforts of organisations such as Water Aid bring about change for the better.

One positive message I can pass on to all my supporters is that I have passed my initial fundraising target of £500! I now have a new target in mind - I want to double it to £1,000!

THIS WOULD BE A FANTASTIC ACHEIVEMENT! Whether applied to one large project or a multitude of small ones such a sum could have a dramatic positive impact for a cimmunity or for literally hundreds of individuals. (If £15 can ensure a continuing supply of clean water for one person, we could multiply that by 667!)

If you haven't already donated, or know someone who hasn't "got round to it" yet, now us the time to act! You can experience that warm glow next time World Water Day comes around knowing that your contribution will have helped change lives for the better!

Here is a link to a new feature on the Water Aid site www.wateraid.org/welcome-to-alakamisy It is intetactive. It's a nice way of seeing one of Water Aid's project sites, meeting some of the locals and appreciating how they benefit from clean water. In a cold damp UK it's also nice to visit sunny dry Madagascar and see how the water sparkles!

Don't forget the donation site! uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RobinThomson