by Fern Shaw | Aug 12, 2019 | water cooler, Water Coolers
At AquAid Water Coolers we believe in altruism, which is one of the reasons why we established the Africa Trust – a charity that helps bring safe and clean drinking water to many impoverished communities in Africa. And because we believe in helping others, we always have immense respect for other organisations that do the same.
Help may take different shapes and forms, and one such organisation is Action for Happiness – a charity that aims to increase the happiness in the world by bringing together like-minded people from all walks of life and supporting them to take practical action to build a happier society.
While everyone’s path to happiness may be different, Action for Happiness lists 10 Keys to Happier Living, which research suggests consistently tends to have a positive impact on people’s happiness and well-being.
- Giving – do things for others
- Relating – connect with people
- Exercising – take care of your body
- Awareness – live life mindfully
- Trying out – keep learning new things
- Direction – have goals to look forward to
- Resilience – find ways to bounce back
- Emotions – look for what’s good
- Acceptance – be comfortable with who you are
- Meaning – be part of something bigger
Action for Happiness also dedicates an action and theme to each month, and this month it’s Altruistic August and here are a few lovely suggestions taken from their calendar:
- Leave a positive note for someone else to find
- Show support for a cause that doesn’t affect you directly
- When you buy one and get one free – give the other extra item away
- Look for the good in everyone you meet today
You can find a copy of it here – help someone in need and have a great August everyone!
by Fern Shaw | Aug 6, 2019 | aquaid, Water Coolers
AquAid definitely offer more than industry standards when it comes to the supplier / customer relationship.
Of course we pride ourselves on the ever important customer service while supplying top quality, highly effective and user friendly range of water coolers, boilers and water fountains – all with a guaranteed next day delivery service.
The ‘more’ is something of which we’re especially proud: the knowledge that an integral part of a successful business model is in giving back and since AquAid’s inception, something we’ve practised. How? By ensuring that a portion of our water cooler sales is donated to sustainable charities.
One of the most recent examples of how this is achieved was when we invited Swiis International to participate in building an Elephant Pump in Africa on their behalf.
“Here at Swiis International (and our sister companies; Swiis Foster Care, Swiis Foster Care Scotland and Swiis Health Care), we are aware that keeping our staff members hydrated will aid them to perform at their very best throughout the working day. As a result, we decided to invest in water coolers from AquAid.
Our partnership with AquAid has also given our company the opportunity to help those less fortunate than ourselves. With each purchase an automatic donation is made to the Africa Trust and these funds are used to build ‘Elephant Pumps’ – a modified version of an age old Chinese rope pulley system. One such pump is currently being installed in Africa on our behalf and it will be a much needed source of clean and fresh drinking water for many.
Our organisation’s name will be proudly displayed on the well and we look forward to adding both photos and feedback from the villagers to our website in the near future.
To date, AquAid have built over 8,000 such Elephant Pumps across parts of Zimbabwe, Malawi and Liberia; and have donated in excess of £16 million to charity.”
We’re delighted that Swiis International agreed to take part in this initiative and we look forward to being able to present a certificate and photo of their well in honour of their participation in the near future.
by Fern Shaw | Jul 23, 2019 | bottle fed water coolers, Water Coolers
Do you know how to keep yourself properly hydrated during a heatwave? With the temperatures set to soar this week, here at AquAid Water Coolers we have compiled a checklist to help you keep cool and hydrated wherever you are:
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.
- Chill your wrists: Run cold water over your wrists for 20 to 30 seconds every hour. Try not to do this using the cool water from the water cooler – it’s messy and I doubt the water cooler station is meant to be used as a private bathing area. Rather use the taps in the bathroom.
- 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:
- Chill your wrists: Run cold water over your wrists for 30 seconds or so every hour:
- 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.
- Try to keep water refrigerated prior to drinking, if possible.
- Frozen flannel: Freeze a flannel and then plop it on the back of your and your family’s necks – instant refresher.
- Turn off electronics: If they’re not being used, unplug electronic devices to keep them from generating unnecessary heat.
- Don’t cook: Feed your family fresh foods such as salads and fruit. Not only will this cool the body’s core, it’ll also keep cooking-related heat from filling up the house.
- Postpone laundry: Plan to do heat-generating activities after the sun goes down. For example, do your laundry at night.
All around:
- Avoid the heat: stay out of the sun and if possible don’t go out between 11h00 and 16h00 (the hottest part of the day) if you’re vulnerable to the effects of heat.
- Have cool baths or showers, and splash yourself with cool water.
- Drink cold drinks regularly, such as water and fruit juice. Avoid tea, coffee and alcohol.
- Stay tuned to the weather forecast on the radio or TV, or at the Met Office website.
- Plan ahead to make sure you have enough supplies, such as food, water and any medications you need.
- Wear loose, cool clothing and a hat if you go outdoors.
- Check up on friends, relatives and neighbours who may be less able to look after themselves.
- People who have epilepsy or heart, kidney, or liver disease; are on fluid-restricted diets; or have a problem with fluid retention should consult a doctor before increasing liquid intake.
- If you’re sweating a lot, be quick to replace lost salts and minerals as well as water. Fruit juice or sports drinks with electrolytes are good choices, but do not take salt tablets unless directed to by your doctor. Taking calcium supplements, however, is a good idea.
- Drink cool (but not icy cold) liquids to help lower your body temperature. Try to keep water refrigerated prior to drinking, if possible.
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 16, 2019 | Africa Trust, water cooler, Water Coolers
Irrespective of whether or not you believe in climate change, there’s no denying that the stats resulting from the radically changing weather patterns year on year or the crucial drop in natural water supply globally speak volumes:
844 Million People – 1 in 10 – lack access to safe water.
200 Million Hours are spent every day collecting water.
2.3 Billion People – 1 in 3 – lack access to a toilet.
One third of the global population lives without access to a toilet.
The ramifications of these stats and the volume of people it affects can seem quite daunting in terms of how to address this global issue. There is good news though: there are multiple organisations around the world that continue, every day, to provide sustainable solutions to the lack of water as well as adequate sanitation to those in need.
Sustainability may seem like the buzz word of the millennium – bandied about without much meaning, but the truth of it is – sustainability is vital in the provision of water and sanitation to those for who access to water is an ongoing fight for actual survival.
Sustainable water projects are those that include both short term and long term solutions which pave the way forward by enabling a community to begin water related projects that may provide them with a capacity to earn an income or to trade their produce or services to others.
There’s much truth in the adage, ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime’, but before we implement this philosophy, help is needed to provide water to communities that more often than not, do not have the most basic of infrastructures for a steady supply of water.
That’s why here at AquAid Water Coolers we have, since our humble beginnings more than two decades ago, partnered with charities that not only provide emergency relief but also sustainable solutions to poverty around the globe, as is the case with Christian Aid and in the case of the Africa Trust, throughout Africa.
To learn more about the work that these organisations carry out, see how your water and water cooler purchases are making a visible positive difference to others. Alternatively, if you are not yet an AquAid customer, but would like to find out more about how your drinking water translates into sustainable clean water provision for people in need, please contact us: we’ll be delighted to assist.
by Fern Shaw | Jun 3, 2019 | bottle fed water coolers, mains fed water cooler, Water Coolers
How do bottle fed coolers and mains fed coolers differ?
Bottle fed water coolers are free standing units that use a large polycarbonate bottle to deliver water, and can be either bottom or top loaded. Mains fed water coolers connect to the main water supply and utilise filtration services to provide clean, refreshing, chilled water. Both types of water coolers have an on/off switch that controls the cooling and/or heating functions of the dispenser.
How is the water kept cold?
In order to chill the water prior to dispensation, water coolers have a reservoir within the dispenser that holds a set amount of water. The reservoir is the place where the water is chilled by a refrigerant, or through thermoelectricity.
What stops the bottle fed dispenser water from flooding?
When the bottle of water is inverted and placed into the opening on the top of the water cooler, the seal of the water bottle is severed or punctured by a part referred to as the ‘spike’, allowing the water to flow into the water cooler. Inside the water cooler is a valve that prevents the water from the bottle flooding the water cooler.
How are the water coolers kept clean?
Both Bottle-Fed and Mains-Fed Dispensers are kept clean by being sanitised.
At AquAid, bottle fed machines are sanitised every 3 months. Mains fed are sanitised every 6 months.
An ozone generator is used for this purpose.
What is an ozone generator?
Ozone (O3) is a gas very similar to normal oxygen (O2), just with an added oxygen molecule. In water the effect of ozone is that it will kill all unwanted bacteria, spores and viruses, leaving the water container and water dispenser clean, clear and safe.
Where does the water in the coolers originate from?
Based on your location, the bottled water delivered to you from AquAid is either water bottled at source, or drawn from natural springs in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
All the spring water is bottled at source.
The water is poured directly into the various sized bottles which are hermetically sealed to lock in the natural purity.
And there it remains until it emerges from your water cooler, just as it left the source: cool and pure.
What benefits derive from installing an AquAid Water Cooler?
We offer a free on-site survey to assess what your needs are and what combination of hot water boilers, bottle-fed water coolers or mains-fed water coolers best suit your requirements.
Your personal Account Manager, based at our head office and reporting directly to the Managing Director, is dedicated to providing the highest level of service to meet your exact needs.
A single point of contact for placing new orders and making any enquiries, along with a centralised billing system allows for a streamlined process that delivers maximum efficiency.
If any issues arise, your local depot is encouraged to speak directly to our local depot which facilitates immediate action and minimises any potential misunderstandings or delays.
Regular spend report analysis and account reviews allow us to measure and track performance to highlight any cost saving opportunities and to ensure we are constantly meeting your goals.
By partnering with us, an award-winning design water pump, dedicated to and bearing your company name, will be built in Africa which will bring life-saving water to hundreds of families every day.
by Fern Shaw | May 29, 2019 | water cooler, Water Coolers
At AquAid Water Coolers, we’ve been in the business of water provision for 21 years, supplying a wide range of high quality water coolers and drinking water to customers throughout the UK.
We value our customers as we understand that they are the backbone to our business, enabling us to grow from our humble beginnings in 1998 to now, one of the UK’s largest water cooler suppliers.
Just as important to us, and an integral part of our business ethos since we began, is our commitment to helping those in need. In this manner AquAid has, to date, donated over £14 million to charity and have helped more than 6 million people.
Another organisation (and valued customer) committed to creating a sustainable environment and better future for all is LKM Recycling.
We recently invited them to take part in a charity initiative: this involved the building of a water well (known as an Elephant Pump) which enables a community in Africa direct access to safe drinking water. This well building program is instituted by an AquAid founded charity – the Africa Trust – which since its inception in 2010, has built more than 8,000 such wells throughout sub-Saharan Africa, providing potable water to over 2 million people.
We were delighted when they agreed to take part in the well building and even more pleased to be able to present them with a photo of their built and named well in June of 2018. We found out a little more about LKM Recycling during the well building period:
“The mission of LKM Recycling is dedication to the highest quality of customer service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride & company spirit.”
They offer total waste management services across a wide range of sectors including:
- Metal recycling
- Plastic recycling
- Wood recycling
- Paper recycling
- Cardboard recycling
- Scrap Vehicle Recycling
- Skip Hire Services
- Confidential Shredding services
Marketing Manager at LKM Recycling, Simon Baxter, had this to say, “We operate a zero to Landfill policy which means we divert as much waste possible away from landfill and towards recycling.
We have recently opened a waste transfer station in Sittingbourne to handle multiple waste streams to support our growing domestic skip hire business.
We have also recently opened a new confidential shredding facility that can shred and recycle confidential documents from our customers. This means less paper waste ending up in landfill and helps protect businesses from the GDPR laws.”
Here at AquAid, we’d just like to thank all at LKM Recycling for their continued custom, their support with getting an Elephant Pump built as well as their raising awareness about what their support produced.
If you currently have an AquAid water cooler and would like to find out how you can go about sponsoring your very own water well, at no extra cost, please contact us.
If you would like to enquire about installing a water cooler, where your hydration means the provision of safe water delivery to people in need, please do get in touch.
