by Fern Shaw | Jun 4, 2018 | Africa Trust, aquaid, Charity, Water Coolers
Begun in 2010, the Africa Trust is an AquAid founded charity that works on the principles of wealth creation and sustainable solutions to poverty.
Since our rather humble beginnings in 1998 as a home water cooler supplier, until now, as one of the UK’s leading water cooler suppliers, helping people in need has always been an integral aspect of the AquAid ethos.
Now, in our 20th year of operations, we look back at the annual milestones that evidence the successes of our commitment to charity.
2017 IN REVIEW:
The total number of beneficiaries at the start of 2017 was 2,192,435 and 209,908 new beneficiaries were added by the end of the year. A total of 683 new pumps were installed in 2017 compared to 607 in 2016. Most of these pumps were installed in Zimbabwe with five pumps built in Tanzania and one built in Kenya.
The Africa Trust’s Elephant Pump programme is having a major positive impact on the lives of over a million Zimbabweans who collect clean drinking water and water for productive use every day. Aside from 683 new pumps installed last year, the Africa Trust continues to implement sustainable wealth creation projects. Examples are an income generating farm project which now provides a sustained and growing income stream that helps towards the cost of emergency relief. A dairy project and the bananas for fees projects continue to grow with 510 new beneficiaries added.
The Africa Trust also implements wealth creation and sustainable relief projects in:
Kenya: A business skills training programme continues to grow. One such new business started under the programme (a maize mill) now employs over a dozen HIV+ widows who would otherwise have been in desperate poverty following their husbands’ deaths due to AIDS.
Liberia: Positive feedback received about the pumps and toilets installed in previous years. A school was helped to become self-sufficient by starting a project to raise ducks and chickens.
Mozambique: The ‘Baby’ Elephant Pumps installed for use by smaller family communities are doing well.
Tanzania: Elephant Pumps; Elephant Toilets; Business Skills Training.
Uganda: Business skills training; job creation; retirement planning (thus helping break the cycle of poverty).
Contact us at AquAid to find out how becoming an AquAid customer equates to ensuring sustainable solutions to poverty and the provision of safe drinking water to those who need it most.
by Belinda Ollewagen | Jun 4, 2018 | Hot Water Taps, instant tap, Water Coolers
We all know that dehydration is bad for us and that it’s important to keep ourselves well hydrated throughout the day to ensure we perform optimally, which (in addition to it being law) is another reason why companies provide easy access to water in the form of water coolers, water boilers and hot water taps. But many of us still don’t drink enough water and even slight dehydration is harmful. Our bodies naturally alert us when it needs replenishment, but thirst mechanism aside, what are the other cues we often misread?
Some of the first signs of dehydration are similar to hunger pangs, which mistakenly makes us reach for something to eat. The confusion apparently stems from our hypothalamus, that part of the brain that regulates appetite and thirst – which, when we’re dehydrated, gets its wires crossed. It’s always best if you’re feeling slightly hungry to try drinking water first, if hunger pangs persist then move on to a snack, but always try replenishing the body’s water supply before doing anything else.
A more obvious sign is a dry mouth, potentially followed by a headache – the latter is not something we would normally associate with dehydration, but unwittingly it is often the cause. According to University News ‘dehydration headaches may happen because a lack of fluids causes shrinkage in brain volume. This results in the brain pulling away from the skull, which triggers pain receptors in the meninges (the membrane that surrounds the brain).’ So, before you reach for pain killers, walk over to the hot water taps in your office kitchen and make a cup of tea or drink a glass of water. An important point to remember however is that while drinking coffee and tea will aid hydration, it is only effective around the four cups per day mark – if consumption exceeds that, it actually becomes a diuretic which is counterproductive to hydration.
Other more serious signs can include fatigue, heart palpitations, cramping, loss of concentration and loss of mental capabilities. It is particularly the change in focus and shift in mental acuity that affects productivity. A study assessing the effects of mild dehydration on cognitive performance found that ‘mild dehydration in men induced adverse changes in vigilance and working memory, and increased tension/anxiety and fatigue.’ Worryingly, many of us begin our day already mildly dehydrated which is then exacerbated by a lack of water intake as we move through our day.
It is imperative, both from a health and productivity point of view, that we maintain sufficient hydration levels, and we achieve this by forming healthy habits – keeping a bottle of water on our desks and sipping on it throughout the day; and taking regular water and tea breaks. Mild dehydration is insidious and if we are to function optimally, we need to learn to read the signs correctly.
by Fern Shaw | Jun 4, 2018 | aquaid, Water, Water Coolers
I’ve been reading through my notes for the blogs for this week and it all became a little overwhelming. So I let my brain head out West and the rest of me went to top up on the java.
Then my brain knocked politely, ‘Coo-ee, I’m back’ it warbled.
‘What?’ the coffee-enjoying-rest of me replied. ‘You come up with anything useful out West?’
A lengthy discussion ensued ….
Anyhow, as it turns out, the brain told me it got to thinking about all the other lesser (according to it) but just as vital (according to all of them) organs that we humanoids are blessed with and guess what? ALL OF THEM need sufficient water to keep the g-g-greased lightning performance.
Kidney and Liver Function
One of the liver’s primary functions is to metabolise stored fat into energy. The kidneys are responsible for filtering toxins, wastes, ingested water and salts out of the bloodstream. If you are dehydrated, the kidneys cannot function properly and the liver must work overtime to compensate. As a result, it metabolises less fat, your metabolism slows down to conserve water, which leads to weight gain and can contribute to belly fat.*
The Heart
Dehydration can cause insufficient oxygenation of the tissue of the cardiovascular system. The heart rate increases in response to the tissue oxygen deficit. Tachycardia, or a heart rate greater than 100 beats per minute, occurs. Severe dehydration can trigger irregular heart rhythms, especially in people with an underlying heart condition.*
Command Central i.e. The Brain
Brain cells require the right amount of water and minerals in each of the cells. If there is too much water, the cell’s membrane can break; if there is not enough, the cell will shrivel up. When there is brain dehydration, less water is available for brain cells to use. *
Importance of Water
Almost two-thirds of the human body is made up of water and water acts as a natural appetite suppressant. It also helps to regulate your metabolism. When you become dehydrated, your metabolism slows down, affecting how your body burns fat. Your body mistakes thirst for hunger, which leads to increased calorie consumption. This can lead to stubborn fat gathering around your stomach, which is difficult to lose.*
Bearing all of this in mind, also remember that water weight is not the same as ‘blob’ weight, so whereas you may think that because your body is retaining water it means you’re gaining weight, this is not the case. Your body is desperately trying to tell you, by retaining water, that it doesn’t have enough to function properly.
There’s no need for concern though, indeed you can celebrate and revel in the fact that throughout the UK, clean, fresh drinking water transported from source to your office, school or site is readily available from AquAid through our range of water coolers. Drink up!
* sourced from an article at Livestrong
by Fern Shaw | Jun 4, 2018 | Water, water cooler, Water Coolers
… Rain (blizzards, snow, and sub-zero temperatures) or shine (weak lemony coloured sun that wouldn’t tan a meringue) you begin to notice that your staff is a tad dispirited, if not outrightly unproductive. No spring in their step, no whistle in their walk.
So, at great cost, you institute an Independent Board of Enquiry to establish the cause of this general malaise that’s affecting everyone from Mrs Tibbins, usually the whizz bang accountant, through to Mr Oogle, usually the zoomiest bike messenger ever (but sadly not for the past few months.)
While all of this is in motion, the meeker than the proverbial mouse IT person, Tad, squeaks up.
‘We’ve no water in the water coolers’, says Tad, ‘so everybody’s most likely dehydrated’.
‘What?’ splutters HOD Mrs Furthingstoke, ‘what does that have to do with everyone not performing at their peak? Pure poppycock, I’m sure!’
‘Incorrect’, corrects Tad, ‘not drinking water regularly is one of the leading causes of many illnesses, especially fatigue’.
As it turns out, Tad was proven correct. The Board of Enquiry was dismissed, the water coolers were kept replenished, productivity soared and absenteeism dropped rapidly.
Take it from Tad, dehydration can happen sooner than one thinks. Some early warning signs are:
- Light-headedness, dizziness;
- Tiredness, irritability, headache;
- Dry mouth, throat and eyes;
- Sunken features (particularly the eyes), flushed skin and skin that is loose and lacks elasticity;
- Heat intolerance;
- There may be a burning sensation in the stomach, urine output will be reduced and may appear darker than usual.
So, in the interests of having a healthy, happy, productive work environment, take the simplest route – ensure that there is always fresh, clean drinking water from source available in the workplace.
How to ensure that your cool drinking water is kept replenished? Speak to us at AquAid Water Coolers. We have over 20 years’ experience in the provision of the right water cooler for your space, required capacity and all your drinking water requirements.
by Fern Shaw | May 1, 2018 | aquaid, water cooler, Water Coolers
The use of plastic has had significant media attention recently, in particular following the various Blue Planet episodes aired on the BBC. The tone of the debate is highly emotive and even Theresa May recently voiced her opinion on the matter, stating that the House of Commons would ban the use of plastic cups and that the government will recommend that all large businesses do the same.
At AquAid we are keenly aware of the impact using plastic has in our industry, to our customers and on our environment. We are constantly seeking solutions and alternatives to reduce waste, minimise our carbon footprint and increase the sustainable provision of our water and water products to our customers.
Potential long term options?
- Paper cups/cones
Paper cups may seem like an obvious alternative, but they are not. As paper is porous, all cups contain a lining which means that they cannot easily be recycled. Unfortunately, although few people may be aware of this, if you are paying to recycle paper cups, these lined cups actually contaminate the recycling batch they go into.
There are cones available without a plastic lining, but they will only hold water for a matter of seconds before it will start seeping through and land on the floor. Whilst these are useful from an environmental perspective, they are less useful from a hydration perspective, the reason organisations have a water dispenser in the first place.
Paper cups cost around 50% more than plastic, with cones priced slightly lower.
- Plastic bottles
There is a place for re-usable plastic bottles, however, we need to be aware that a plastic bottle weighs at least 30 times more than does a plastic cup. This then means that using plastic bottles is adding plastic weight and volume rather than reducing it. Even if you re-use a plastic bottle (which some people will re-use 30 times, but others much less so) it has to be borne in mind that the bottle needs to be cleaned which has its own environmental impact.
- Use bio-degradable/compostable material
The idea of using bio-degradable plastic is very appealing at first as people picture it literally turning into dust. The problem is that in order for the plastic to compost, it needs to be kept in very specific circumstances only achievable in an industrial composting environment. Not only are there very few such facilities in the UK, there are also no nationwide collection schemes in place for them. If bio-degradable cups end up in landfill they can be more harmful to the environment than normal plastic cups, as is indicated in various reports and case studies from authorities in the field*. Added to this, bio-degradable plastic is made from corn starch – which again brings with it a significant impact on the environment. As a final point, bio-degradable plastic is considerably more expensive than regular plastic.
The solution
Because of the focus directed at the issue of single use cups, we may be forgetting the difference between litter and recycling. Plastic on its own is not an issue – unrecycled plastic is. Bearing this in mind, we believe there is a viable solution, one which will be of benefit to not only ourselves and our customers, but also to our environment.
Recycling plastic cups
Upon consultation with a number of recycling authorities, in particular BIFFA, a leading integrated waste management company, we’ve established as follows:
- The cups that AquAid supply are made of a single type of plastic. The benefit of this is that easy to recycle and a valuable resource that can be repurposed and resold.
- Our plastic cups are easily recycled if placed in a dry mixed recycling (DMR) bin. These are bins which take cans, paper, cardboard and plastic. Not only will the material placed in a DMR be recycled, but DMR bins cheaper to have emptied than a normal waste bin.
We believe that we have established a practical, cost effective and viable solution to using our drinking cups and are inviting our customers to contact their local recycling companies to confirm that they offer the dry mixed recycling bins (DMR), to assist with the recycling of not only plastic cups, but also the many other recyclable items found in offices up and down the country.
Should you wish for any additional information about our recycling plan, kindly e-mail us at nationalaccounts@aquaidwatercoolers.co.uk
* sources: articles in The Guardian; UN News
by Fern Shaw | Apr 10, 2018 | aquaid, water cooler, Water Coolers
When we see the most recent statistics of how many people in the UK make use of the internet, these figures probably won’t come as any surprise. What may be surprising though are the demographics of online use.
According to a statistical bulletin from the Office of National Statistics:
- In Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) 2017, 89% of adults in the UK had recently used the internet (in the last 3 months), up from 88% in 2016; while 9% had never used the internet, down from 10% in 2016.
- Virtually all adults aged 16 to 34 years were recent internet users (99%), in contrast with 41% of adults aged 75 years and over.
- 90% of men and 88% of women were recent internet users, up from 89% and 86% in 2016.
- Recent internet use among women aged 75 and over had almost trebled from 2011.
- Northern Ireland is catching up with the other UK regions in recent internet use, reaching 84% in 2017; however, it remained the region with the lowest recent use.
At AquAid, we believe it’s of paramount importance to be at the forefront in being able to offer our customers easy access to our wide range of water coolers, water related products and water services.
In view of this, we developed a website some 12 years ago, which we’ve constantly striven to keep as user friendly and informative as possible. In keeping with this philosophy we launched a new website in January 2017, introducing a cleaner, more modern look whilst also incorporating a significantly more user-friendly operation.
Looking at the above stats and considering the marked increase in online queries we receive on a daily basis, this has definitely been of benefit to both our customers and ourselves.
Based on the successes brought about since the launch of our new website, we’ve looked at a number of customer-centric options. The most recent addition is the new Place an Order / Book an Engineer feature.
Should you wish to contact us online, whether you have a query or enquiry, require information or would like to order a water cooler, order your bottled water or book a service, all you need to do is simply click on the Place an Order / Book an Engineer button at the AquAid website, fill in your information, press send and we’ll take it from there
