by Fern Shaw | Sep 5, 2022 | aquaid, Charity, Christian Aid, water cooler, Water Coolers
Today is the International Day of Charity. As an organisation, AquAid, with our focus on giving back since our inception in 1998, acknowledging this day is immensely significant.
For over twenty-two years, AquAid has donated a portion of revenue to charities, predominantly to both Christian Aid and The Africa Trust.
Founded in 1941, the mission of Christian Aid is to eradicate the causes of poverty, striving to achieve equality, dignity and freedom for all, regardless of faith or nationality. AquAid have supported Christian Aid for more than twenty years, donating over £3.7 million to water and capacity building projects around the world.
Since its formation in 2010, The Africa Trust has worked tirelessly to create sustainable solutions that include establishing supplies of clean, productive drinking water and decent sanitation to thousands of communities in water scarce regions across Africa. Wealth creation is another important objective, with business skills training helping school leavers and villagers to start or expand profitable businesses.
This year’s International Day of Charity resonates even more so with all of us at AquAid as the company has recently reached donations exceeding £19 million. This amount has enabled us to provide life-changing assistance to more than 3 million people around the globe and predominantly throughout Africa.
We would like to dedicate this achievement to Paul Searle, AquAid’s Founder, Managing Director and Chairman, whose faith and unquenchable spirit was the driving force that kept AquAid growing and expanding for over two decades, all while never losing sight of the importance of contributing to charity.
Should you too wish to partner with AquAid in this continuing commitment to charity while keeping your organisation hydrated, please contact us – we will be happy to assist.
by Fern Shaw | Aug 30, 2022 | Water Coolers
Europe’s largest traffic light equipment manufacturer and hirer, SRL Traffic Systems (SRL) lead the way in the Highways sector.
Over the last few years, the company has enjoyed considerable growth, expanding its product offering to include security barriers, digital signage and CCTV. Now, with more than 200 employees, SRL has 30 regional depots situated around the UK and Ireland. The company also boasts new, impressive Headquarters and a unique Innovation Centre.
SRL predominantly work in an industry that operates within a risky environment by its very nature. Chris Thornley, procurement manager at SRL adds, “The management team always try to reflect on the services and support which we give to our team and do all that we can to make their jobs easier and safer.”
SRL acknowledge that keeping the team hydrated helps everyone to perform at their very best throughout the workday. Indeed, studies have shown that workers who have quick and easy access to drinking water are subsequently 25% more productive and happy at work, than those who go without.
Chris added, “With the opening of our new Technical and Innovation Centre, Winsford HQ and several new regional depots, we sought to find a supplier who could offer a sustainable solution to water provision. SRL’s partnership with AquAid, is another small step towards improving our sustainability – and even more importantly, has some incredible social benefits, too.”
The World Health Organisation states that water scarcity continues to affect one in three people, yet it’s something we take for granted every day. SRL’s unique relationship with AquAid has also given SRL the opportunity to help those less fortunate than ourselves, because with each purchase an automatic donation is made to The Africa Trust.
The funds from the purchase of AquAid water coolers will be used to build ‘Elephant Pumps’ – a modified version of an age-old Chinese rope pulley system, providing a much-needed source of clean and fresh drinking water for many.
AquAid look forward to being able to present the SRL team with a certificate, a photo of the pump and a letter of thanks for their participation in this life-changing build in due course.
You can read more about SRL here.
by Fern Shaw | Jul 15, 2022 | bottle fed water coolers, water cooler, Water Coolers
With temperatures set to soar, here at AquAid Water Coolers we have compiled a set of tips & tricks to help you keep cool and hydrated wherever you are:
At the office/in the workplace:
- Stay hydrated! Set an alarm clock on your pc, laptop or mobile to make sure that you visit the water cooler as often as needs be to replenish your drinking water.
- For spaces without aircon, see if you can create a cross breeze – open windows (but keep blinds partially closed) on both sides or open a door on the opposite side of the area.
- Drink cool (but not icy cold) liquids to help lower your body temperature. The water cooler station is perfect for this.
- Turn off electronics: If they’re not being used, unplug electronic devices to keep them from generating unnecessary heat.
At home:
- Fill up a hot water bottle with tap water, place in the freezer and you have a multi-purpose ice pack.
- Stay hydrated! Kids may not feel thirsty, but it’s essential to stay hydrated, so make sure young ones are getting lots of water. If you’re planning to leave the house, freeze your reusable water bottles and take them with you.
- Drink cool (but not icy cold) liquids to help lower your body temperature.
- Turn off electronics: If they’re not being used, unplug electronic devices to keep them from generating unnecessary heat.
- Don’t cook: Make yourself that Niçoise or Greek Salad or eat no need to heat food. Not only will this cool the body’s core, it will also keep cooking-related heat from filling up the house.
Out-and-about or indoors:
- Avoid the heat: stay out of the sun and if possible don’t go out between 10h00 and 16h00 (the hottest part of the day) if you’re vulnerable to the effects of heat.
- Have cool or at least room temperature baths or showers.
- Drink cold drinks regularly, such as water and fruit juice. Reduce high-caffeine drinks intake.
- Stay tuned to the weather forecast on the radio or TV, or at the Met Office website.
- Apply sunblock and wear loose, cool clothing and a hat if you go outdoors.
- Try wearing open shoes, sandals or flip-flops, however, if your skin is exposed, apply sunblock, Factor 30 at minimum.
- Check up on friends, relatives and neighbours who may be less able to look after themselves.
It’s also good to bear in mind that wherever you require a temporary or permanent hydration solution in the UK, AquAid have a wide range of water coolers tailor-made to meet your requirements. We even offer a next day water delivery service for our Bottle-Fed Water Coolers.
Contact us today.
by Fern Shaw | Jul 13, 2022 | water cooler, Water Coolers
In spring 2002, three university mates clubbed together to launch their own recruitment agency focussed on the construction industry. Optima Site Solutions was born.
Having worked hard to build up their enterprise, they got through the global financial crisis and more recently Brexit, which has affected labour supply, and COVID, which gave a temporary shake up to the internal organisation. Proving time-and-time again that theirs is a sustainable and progressive business.
Optima now has more than 35 employees and supplies thousands of contractors to hundreds of clients each year; making it one of the largest recruitment agencies for construction in the UK. The company’s success has been built on years of effective trade and sticking to its core values of candidate quality, being transparent and best service for all.
Optima is well aware of the importance of their employees maintaining good hydration habits, consequently they installed AquAid bottled water coolers in their Head Office in 2008. Not only has this led to their organisation having constant supply of refreshing drinking water, it has also meant automatic donations to the charities they support through AquAid with each bottle of water delivered.
This partnership has also led to a water well, known as an Elephant Pump, to be built in a water scarce region in Zimbabwe on their behalf. This pump, constructed using locally available materials, has a capacity to supply up to 10,000 litres of potable water per day, and due to its award winning design will do so for decades.
AquAid look forward to being able to present the Optima Site Solutions team with a certificate, a photo of the pump and a letter of thanks for their participation in this life-changing build in due course.
You can read more about Optima Site Solutions here.
by Fern Shaw | Jul 6, 2022 | aquaid tyne wear, Charity, Christian Aid, water cooler, Water Coolers
By Fern Shaw
AquAid Tyne & Wear, operating since 2002, this year celebrates twenty years in the provision of an extensive range of innovative and high-quality water coolers and dispensers, along with a total commitment to offering superior services to their 2,000 customers.
Reaching this 20-year anniversary holds more than one reason for celebration though – it also marks an incredible achievement with the branch donating just under £500,000 to the charities AquAid have supported since our inception in 1998.
In view of this remarkable achievement, we spoke to Gordon and Emir Dobson, who own and operate AquAid Tyne & Wear and asked for their comment.
“We are absolutely delighted that our donations have reached this level: these small contributions we know have made a big difference to those who need it.
Here’s to the next £500,000!” ~ Emir Dobson, Owner Director – AquAid Tyne & Wear
Extracts below are from a letter to Emir and Gordon written by Ian Thorpe, CEO of The Africa Trust, in recognition of this milestone.
“Many congratulations as you approach your twentieth anniversary for the Tyne and Wear franchise of AquAid. I was astonished to learn that your franchise alone has raised such an extraordinary amount of money for charity during the last two decades. With a current donation figure of £487,915 I have no doubt that during your anniversary year, you will achieve the tremendous milestone of over half a million pounds raised.
Thank you for the part you and your colleagues at AquAid Tyne &Wear are playing in lifting people out of poverty to live healthier and more productive lives.
You have also raised over £240k for Christian Aid, and during the last three years alone, 3,321 people in Malawi have received entrepreneurial training (at a cost of £12 each) and assistance to start small businesses.“ ~ Ian Thorpe, Chief Executive – The Africa Trust
Should you too like to play a part in this phenomenal, philanthropic movement simply by keeping yourself and your company, organisation or school hydrated, contact AquAid today.
by Fern Shaw | Jun 21, 2022 | water cooler, Water Coolers, water dispenser
As the temperatures soar throughout the UK, so does the demand for chilled, refreshing drinking water.
At AquAid, where we have been in the business of providing a wide range of AquAid water coolers and water, both spring and bottled at source, for over 23 years, we understand this more than most. That’s why it’s important to us to be able to ensure that we are able to offer the very best in mainsfed and bottlefed water dispensers and bottled water.
We’re not only about the provision of high-quality water dispensers – we also firmly believe that providing water to those who may not necessarily have access to water as we do – is absolutely vital.
When it’s hot, keeping hydrated with AquAid is as simple as touching a button, but for millions of people globally, not having access, to not only drinking water but also any water, at all, is a daily reality.
Remember, this is just water for you, your children, family and community to drink. This is not the water needed to wash your clothes or utensils or water with which to irrigate your food crops. This is water to drink for your very survival.
Sadly, this is the day-to-day existence for many communities across Africa. During droughts and in the dry months access to water becomes increasingly difficult.
Which is just one reason, since our rather humble beginnings in 1998, we chose to work with sustainable charities like The Africa Trust and Christian Aid. Using donations from AquAid, both charities work tirelessly implementing sustainable water projects for communities in need.
As an AquAid customer isn’t it nice to know that while you’re sipping cool water from our water dispensers, there’s another water well or water project being installed in Africa, bringing clean drinking water to another community in need? We think so and we are sure you will agree.
