10 things you might not know about Fairbourne Springs
Our customers are helping to raise money for clean water projects in Africa, just by choosing
Fairbourne Springs when they buy bottled water. Earlier this week, our Chair Ursula Lidbetter
accepted an honorary award at 10 Downing St, on behalf of our customers, members and
colleagues. The award, presented by Samantha Cameron, celebrates our relationship with our
charity partner, The One Foundation. Ursula explained, “This demonstrates, yet again, how The
Co-operative’s long term ethical commitments can have an impact on people’s lives in
communities both in this country and around the world.”
To celebrate being invited to 10 Downing St, we thought we’d share 10 things you might not know
about Fairbourne Springs...
1. We were the first (and are still the only) retailer to launch an own-brand ethical bottled
water.
2. 3p is donated to the One Foundation for every litre sold.
3. £5 million has been raised so far...
4. ...benefiting more than 1 million people.
5. More than 400 water pumps have been installed or repaired.
6. We’ve supported communities in Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Niger, South Sudan,
Lesotho and South Africa.
7. This project can help to save lives – 500,000 children currently die every year around the
world due to dirty water and lack of sanitation.
8. It also saves time, as people often have to walk many kilometres to fetch water every day.
9. The project ties into our commitment to Fairtrade – some of our Fairtrade sugar growers
have benefited, for example.
10. Since 1990, the number of people without access to safe drinking water has more than
halved. So keep choosing Fairbourne Springs to help continue this fantastic progress!
Steve Murrells, Chief Executive of The Co-operative Food, commented, “Our goal is to be the
number one convenience retailer in the UK, and with Fairbourne Springs, our customers can show
their support for their local community, as well as making a difference to communities across
Africa.”
Duncan Goose, founder of the One Foundation, added, “The Co-operative Group has always been a
pioneer, and the relationship we've had with them over the past five years further underlines their
commitment to tackle global issues within the core of their trading relationships with the buying
public.”