Harrogate Water managing director James Cain OBE
Harrogate Water managing director James Cain OBE

Thirsty Planet bottled water hits £2m charity landmark

22 March 2017

The Harrogate company behind charity spring water brand Thirsty Planet has announced a major milestone after reaching £2 million raised for clean water projects, helping some of the world’s poorest communities.

Thirsty Planet was launched by Harrogate Water in 2007 to raise money for independent British charity Pump Aid. Every bottle sold provides a guaranteed donation towards clean water projects and improved sanitation in sub-Saharan Africa.

Making the announcement to celebrate World Water Day March 22, Harrogate Water managing director James Cain OBE said: “We launched Thirsty Planet to give something back and are delighted to have passed the £2 million mark. It’s been an incredible journey with a fabulous charity that works tirelessly to provide something that we take for granted in this country, clean drinking water.

“The journey continues, as we have refreshed the Thirsty Planet brand for 2017 and introduced the strapline: The Power of Positive Drinking, emphasising the brand’s positive positioning and inspiring consumers to think positively, drink positively and make a positive difference.”

World Water Day is a UN-backed campaign to tackle water inequality. Today, there are more than 663 million people living without a safe water supply and having to cope with the health impacts of using contaminated water.
Thirsty Planet has improved the lives of more than 1.3 million people by funding 9,500 elephant pumps, which are community-owned, simple and reliable, providing villages with a  clean water supply. The first pump installed by Pump Aid is still working after 20 years.

Pump Aid works alongside rural communities, helping them to build and maintain pumps using locally-available materials. Unsafe water is the biggest killer of children in Africa, claiming 4,000 young lives a day.

Thirsty Planet marketing manager Nicky Cain said: “The charitable water sector has grown since Thirsty Planet was launched in 2007, yet Thirsty Planet remains the only charity water brand which is actually sourced and bottled by the brand-owner, ensuring quality and availability.

“We give a guaranteed donation with every product sold, which means that shoppers know that they contribute with every purchase. This transparency also provides much greater certainty to Pump Aid. It’s the only model that allows the charity to plan a cost-effective delivery programme.”

The brand refresh is being supported with an integrated digital marketing strategy, including a new consumer-focused, interactive website www.positivedrinking.org

In 2015, James Cain was made an OBE for his charitable work with Thirsty Planet.

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