Aquabox is a registered charity no 1098409

june 2019 – aquabox newsletter £100,000 of aid in just one month

2019 has seen a fresh crop On the same day, we sent of disasters around the world, 15 Aquabox 12s containing both natural and man-made, a total of 300 family filters and the Aquabox volunteer to Zimbabwe, with Rotary teams have been working Club of London Centenary hard to meet the demand for handling shipping out, and aid. These are just some of Rotary Harare receiving. the aid shipments that have Three weeks later on left the Wirksworth depot in April 24, 270 Aquabox Gold recent months. boxes and four Aquabox April 2 saw 100 Aquabox 12s left the depot bound Gold boxes and fivefor Yemen, working with community filters shipped Jubilee Outreach Yorkshire to Malawi, working with Red and with the Port of Aden Cross International at this end to ensure distribution at the and with Red Cross of Malawi destination. Then on May 1, More Aqua 12 boxes and Gold boxes on the way to disaster as the receiving organisation. we shipped 260 Aquabox areas. Gold boxes to Nepal, with the shipment, this time with the shipment being forwarded by Christian African Relief Trust Family filter number 20,000! the Gurkha Regiment. (CART), to Cameroon. And of Those four shipments alone course the autumn hurricane represented a combined season is approaching – the cost to Aquabox of just over depot teams are working £100,000, and shipping costs hard to build up stocks of added another £8,000 to the filters and boxes. bill. That’s just one month’s Meanwhile, thanks to Sarah aid – albeit in a very busy Cook, our ambassador in month. France, we now have a solid On May 31, following the link with South Sudan. We assurance of an import don’t yet have definite plans duty waiver, we shipped 20 to send aid to Sudan, but Aqua 12s containing a total it’s good to have a tried and The Thursday morning assembly team with filter no 20,000. of 240 family filters, plus tested agency with which five community filters, for to work. David Lumb, of the The Aquabox assembly teams have just achieved a significant distribution in Mozambique Rotary Club of Dronfield, has milestone: the Mark 2 version of the family filter, produced on by the Rotary Club of Maputo. also given us a further contact our assembly line here in Wirksworth, has just reached filter In partnership with the Rotary in Nepal. While these may not number 20,000. e-club London Centenary be immediately relevant to Adding this to the number of Mark 1 filters produced, the (their member in Zimbabwe), current crises, we don’t know total is now well over 115,000. And when you consider that 60 family filters have been what is round the corner with basic maintenance each filter is designed to process at distributed in Zimbabwe’s in our turbulent world. Our least 100,000 litres of water, it means that in the 27 years of Highland area. Some have logistics ‘guru’ and trustee its existence, Aquabox has enabled people living in distress to also been shipped into Albert Ripamonti is grateful have access to well over 100 billion litres of clean, safe water for neighbouring Malawi through for any such reliable contacts. drinking, cooking and washing. the same connection. Please let us know if you have So well done to everyone on the assembly teams – and here’s Later in the year we’re any you feel may help us. to the next 20,000! planning another shared Roz Adamson

Aquabox is supported by winds of 110 mph on March to the Rotary Club of 11. The storm then began to London Centenary member Response to Idai weaken, before gathering in Zimbabwe, where the strength again, and on March consignment was used 14 it reached a new peak with to assist rural locations winds of 120mph. It was not where water supply had until March 21 that the storm been affected and where finally dissipated. an outbreak of cholera and Idai caused severe flooding typhoid had been reported,” in Madagascar, Mozambique, said trustee Albert Ripamonti. Malawi, and Zimbabwe, and The shipment included 180 affected more than three family filters, 100 Aquabox million people in total. Cat- Gold boxes, and five astrophic damage occurred community filters. in central Mozambique, and A further consignment of a major humanitarian crisis 300 family filters and five unfolded in the wake of the community filters was ready cyclone, with hundreds of for despatch to Mozambique, thousands of people in urgent awaiting confirmation from need of assistance across the Mozambique Rotary club Mozambique and Zimbabwe. and the Mozambique National A cholera outbreak followed Disaster Organisation that the storm, with more than secure local distribution 4,000 confirmed cases by arrangements were in place. early April. And plans were in place for Another consignment starts its journey to Mozambique. As soon as Idai hit the another consignment of headlines, the Aquabox team Aquabox Gold boxes to be AQUABOX has sent Idai originated from a set about establishing secure shipped to Mozambique as substantial aid to east Africa tropical depression that links with agencies in Zimba- soon as the required duty after Cyclone Idai devastated formed off the east coast bwe, Malawi and Mozam- waiver was granted. communities in Mozambique, of Mozambique on March bique, and thanks to much In total, these aid packages Zimbabwe, and Malawi. Idai 4. The storm made landfall hard work by the volunteer represent a cost to Aquabox was the second deadliest in Mozambique later in the filter assembly teams and of nearly £40,000 – but they tropical cyclone ever day, and remained a tropical packers, a substantial con- have the potential to save recorded in the south-west cyclone through its five-day signment left the depot on many thousands of lives. And Indian Ocean basin, causing trek over land. On March 9, the April 3 to be air-freighted to a follow-up consignment of catastrophic damage, and depression re-emerged into Zimbabwe and Malawi. 250 Gold boxes is planned to leaving more than 1,000 the Mozambique Channel and “We sent Aquabox Gold be shipped to Malawi in July, people dead and thousands rapidly intensified, reaching boxes to the Red Cross in in partnership with Christian more missing. an initial peak with sustained Malawi, and family filters African Relief Trust (CART). Aquabox success at Utility Week Live show thanks to the generosity provision – including people of our corporate partners working for some of the UK’s Faversham House, Aquabox biggest water companies. had a stand at the Utility During the two days of Week Live exhibition at the the show we were able to National Exhibition Centre on talk to dozens of water May 21-22. industry executives, building It’s the second year that relationships and working Faversham House has towards our long-term goal enabled Aquabox trustees of recruiting more water to demonstrate the filter and companies as Aquabox explain the charity’s work partners, alongside Hydro-X Trustee Mike Tomlinson to an audience of business Aquabox was a charity and Technolog. demonstrates the filter to a people in the world of utility partner in a seminar theatre. Watch this space! show visitor.

Aquabox News is published by Aquabox, registered charity no 1098409. To contact the editor, email [email protected], or write to Aquabox News, PO Box 5398, Matlock, Derbyshire DE4 4ZP. Please share Aquabox news with friends and colleagues – forward it electronically, and/or print out copies to circulate.

Aquabox news – June 2019 Page 2 Aquabox Gold box contents updated joins the after much discussion – and most Ensuring that humanitarian aid gets to those importantly, much feedback from end users – who have the greatest need is a complex Chamber of the contents list for Aquabox Gold boxes has process, and we work very closely with our been revised. delivery partners, and listen to what they Commerce The key change is that Gold boxes will soon tell us. The revised Gold box contents list, Aquabox has taken an contain not one but two Aquabox family therefore, includes: important step towards filters. Over the past year we have responded • Two family filters and two buckets broadening its spread to disasters in India, Philippines, Indonesia, • Personal protection: a survival bag, two of corporate support, by Cameroon and Yemen, and the main need has tarpaulins, and two ponchos or cagoules becoming a member of the been for water filters, to keep people alive, and • Kitchenware: cooking pot, cutlery, cups, East Midlands Chamber of plates and bowls Commerce. • Hygiene: soap “Being members of • Hardware: wind-up torch, string, solar the Chamber will give light, clothesline, bungee cords us access to thousands • Tools: Hammer, nails, pliers, folding knife, of companies across saw, folding shovel/pick Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire • For children: ball, pencils, lined pad, and Leicestershire,” said knitted teddy (while stocks last) Roger Cassidy, chair of the trustees. “As well as looking We will also continue to send knitted goods for additional financial until the existing stock is used up. “The support, we are working Aquabox trustees are very grateful for the hard to get the message out knitted teddies, jumpers and blankets that that working with Aquabox our supporters have kindly donated over will provide a golden The revised Gold box contents – as advised the years,” said Roger Cassidy, chair of the opportunity for companies to by end users. trustees. “These woollies have been included meet their Corporate Social as a part of our humanitarian aid packages that Responsibility objectives.” to reduce the spread of waterborne diseases have been despatched to countries across the The plan is to take part in such as cholera and typhoid. The trustees world. However, feedback from our partners as many of the Chamber’s took the view that our primary mission of and other organisations ‘on the ground’ in events as possible, to raise the charity is to enable people in need to disaster areas indicates that we now need to the profile of Aquabox and have access to safe, clean water for drinking, re-consider what goes into our aid packages.” to encourage companies and cooking and washing – and the simplest way However, there are lots of other ways that business people across the to achieve this, of course, is to increase the Aquabox supporters can help. “We constantly east midlands to lend their number of filters we supply. need donations of toiletries and hygiene support to a local charity We are also increasingly being advised by items like soap, plasters and bandages,” said with a world-wide life-saving governments in disaster-hit countries that Roger. “We always welcome basic educational mission. they only wish to receive humanitarian aid items too: ballpoint pens, pencils, exercise that cannot be produced and supplied from books and notepads. And if there is the within their own countries. The concern is that opportunity to run a fund-raising event on Support Aquabox by sending goods which could be produced behalf of Aquabox, we’re happy to help with www.aquabox.org locally, and by distributing them free of charge, leaflets, pop-up displays and collecting tins – Aquabox, PO Box 5398, we may unintentionally be competing with and whenever possible, we will arrange for an local producers, and thus potentially harming Aquabox ambassador to come along and give Matlock, Derbyshire local employment prospects. a talk and demonstration.” DE4 4ZP, UK

What goes into a filter? we’re often asked: how long does it take to make an Aquabox family filter? It’s a difficult question to answer, because some of the component parts are glued together, and have to be set aside until the glued joint is fully cured. As a general rule, the filters which are started by the Tuesday morning assembly team are completed by the Friday team – so the answer is ‘about three days’. Each completed filter involves about 40 components, and more than 40 separate assembly procedures. Every single completed filter is subjected to a thorough test to ensure it is working properly, before being sealed in a clear plastic bag for protection, The family filter components, ready for assembly. All the p i cture over H over ready for despatch. Aquabox family filters are assembled by volunteers.

Aquabox news – June 2019 Page 3 Second consignment on its way to Yemen one of the biggest on its way, in partnership challenges the Aquabox team with the charity Jubilee have to deal with is finding Outreach Yorkshire (JOY). local partners in disaster 260 Aquabox Gold boxes areas who can take delivery shared a container with JOY’s of an aid consignment at a medical and food supplies, port or airport, and ensure which include wheelchairs that it is distributed to the and prosthetic limbs. people most in need. There Things don’t get easier, is, of course, no point in us however. We have learned shipping aid half-way round through our JOY contacts that the world if it’s just going the receiving organisation to sit on the quayside and personnel in Yemen are possibly be pilfered. potentially in serious danger, The problem is even and we have therefore kept greater when the need An Aquabox Gold box arrives at its final destination in Yemen. our information anonymous. arises in a country where A stark reminder that it is local infrastructure is next to in very basic refugee camps. in most other places. relatively simple for us to non-existent – a country like Yemen is one of the poorest However, in late 2018 a despatch aid, but the reality Yemen, where a brutal civil countries in the world, and first consignment was safely of its safe distribution is a war has left thousands on the the challenge of distributing delivered, and May this year completely different matter. edge of existence and living aid there is even greater than saw a second consignment Roz Adamson, trustee Aquabox filters in Zimbabwe Support on various needs assessment trips Aquabox conducted in the areas affected by Cyclone Idai, it was realized that water filtration was a with Global major need – so we explored the possibility of supplying the area with water filters through Giving the Rotary eClub of London Centenary and Aquabox. Thanks to the Rotary Water and sanitation is an important area Club of Dronfield, Aquabox of focus to Rotary, and we were extremely now has a Global Giving honoured to partner with them and Aquabox arrangement to increase our on this important project. On April 15, Miracle fund-raising capacity. Missions attended the water filters handover GlobalGiving is a non-profit that took place at the Rotary Centre in Harare, organisation based in the and on April 24 we received 72 filters, with a US that provides a global crowd-funding platform commitment from Miracle Missions that they A shipment of family filters is formally handed for grassroots charitable will be distributed to people who needed over in Zimbabwe. them the most. projects. Since 2002, more We have demonstrated the water filters at extremely grateful to our partners at the than 800,000 donors on local schools, and the students were fascinated Rotary eClub of London Centenary and GlobalGiving have raised by the filtration process and the cleanliness of Aquabox. Miracle Missions will continue more than $340m to support the water. to work on water filtration projects in the more than 20,000 projects Clean water is a critical need in the affected areas. in 170 countries. To see how Chimanimani/Chipinge area, and we are Jacqueline Anderson, Miracle Missions it works, the Aquabox Yemen project can be accessed on the Global Giving website: www.globalgiving.com. Three cheers for our fund-raising stars Donations made through Global Giving will generate Aquabox would like to on gifts for them, but to give Keith and Helen recently more funds for the charity say a very big thank you to it to Aquabox instead – and celebrated their golden – so if you’re thinking of three star fund-raisers: Peggy they raised nearly £800 for wedding, and raised a total of supporting our work, please Waters, of Wirksworth, the charity! £550. look at this option. and Keith and Helen Hardy, Peggy, who is a regular Keith is a Tuesday volunteer, of Alfreton. At recent Aquabox Monday volunteer, and a member of Alfreton personal celebrations, they marked her 90th birthday Rotary, and regularly helps Support Aquabox encouraged their friends and with a party at which guests to man the Aquabox stand at www.globalgiving.com relatives not to spend money contributed a total of £240. Rotary conferences.

Aquabox news – June 2019 Page 4 A new Ambassador What is an Aquabox A warm welcome to he was part of the team Barrie Coates, who has been who created and developed Ambassador? named as the 18th Aquabox the charity WaterAid – with look up the word ‘ambassador’ on Wikipedia, and it will Ambassador. Barrie is a which Aquabox has recently tell you that as well as describing an officially-appointed member and past president had a number of constructive representative of a government, an ambassador is also of the Rotary club of Leigh meetings. “a person who is known to represent certain professions, in Lancashire in District 1285 Barrie will be representing activities and fields of endeavour”. In this case, the field of (NW England/Isle of Man). Aquabox to Rotary clubs endeavour is saving lives by shipping water filters to disaster Barrie’s professional back- and other supporters across areas around the world – and the Aquabox Ambassadors ground is in engineering the north-west, significantly are the people who represent it. with United Utilities, the strengthening our presence main water company in the in a very important part of north-west of England, and the country. New vicar visits Aquabox

among recent visitors to the Aquabox depot was Rev Carla Vicencio Prior, the recently-installed team An Aquabox ambassador talks to a group of young scouts vicar at the Wirksworth team about the charity and its work. ministry. She took a close interest Aquabox’s team of ambassadors cover most of the UK in Aquabox’s work, and was – and some places outside the UK as well. They deliver keen to discuss ways for the talks to local clubs and associations, industry bodies, Trustee Roger Cassidy shows team ministry to support our companies, and to the public. They educate young people Rev Prior how the filter works. future initiatives. such as scouts and school pupils about Aquabox and its work – and more importantly, about the vital need for that work. Their role is to raise the profile of Aquabox, to spread the word about the importance of its work, and to raise French connection funds for the charity. And they are all volunteers – nobody is paid, and it’s very rare that any of them claim any expenses. They do it simply because they believe it’s worth doing. If you’re a member of a club or association and you’re looking for a speaker, we may be able to help. If you work for a company which is looking for a charity to support, we would love to come and talk to you. If you work with young people and you would like Aquabox to support your efforts to raise their awareness of world issues, please let us know. Every Aquabox Ambassador is prepared and equipped to deliver an informative and thought-provoking talk about the essential need for clean water – for drinking, for cooking, and for washing. Time after time, audiences are astonished to see the Aquabox filter in operation, turning filthy polluted water into safe, clear drinking water. So if you would like an Aquabox Ambassador to come and talk to your group – just ask! Visitors from France watch the Gold box packing team at work. We can’t guarantee that there will always be a speaker available, but we will do our best to meet your needs. And thanks to the Rotary Club of Doncaster’s twinning all we ask in return is a modest speaker fee (which of course arrangements, we were delighted to welcome the Rotary Club goes straight to the charity funds), an attentive audience, of Montbrison in France to the Aquabox depot at the end of and the opportunity to pass round a collecting tin. To place May. While our language skills were a little tested, we know our a request for a speaker, go to www.aquabox.org, and click visitors were very taken with the Aquabox project; they paid on ‘Find out more’ and then ‘Book a speaker’. close attention, and asked a lot of questions!

Aquabox news – June 2019 Page 5 Everything that Aquabox does to save lives around the world depends on our supporters: Rotary Clubs, Inner Wheel Clubs, corporate partners, organisations and individuals. Without their support, we could do nothing. During the first half of 2019, Aquabox has beenfited from the support of all the following – and we would like to say ‘Thank You!’.

Sincere thanks to our corporate partners: Faversham Hicken, Alan Hudson , Charles Jackson, Sandra Jackson, House, Hydro-X, Resources Computing International, Richard Johnson, Charlie Jones, Lyria Jones, Mrs G Learey, Technolog, Utility Week Live and Water & Wastewater A Lee, Tom Littler, Mrs P Lloyd, Clark Lomas, Timothy Lynch, Treatment. Mrs S L Malthouse, Remi Martin, Robin Maycock, Mr and Mrs McCaul, Alan McCormick, Mrs S Mersh, Mrs J M Monk, Mrs Equally sincere thanks too to all the following S Monk, Mrs C H Mundy, Julian Newton, Mrs M Noon, Eric Rotary Clubs: Abbeydale, Abingdon Vesper, Aireborough, Perry, D and J Poole, J and M Reeve, Mr C Riggott, Dorothy Alfreton, Altrincham, Annan, Ashbourne, Ashby de la Robinson, E and C Sanderson, William Drummond Sharp, Zouch, Ashby-de-la-Zouch Castle, Ayr, Beeston, Belper & Marion Siddall,Mrs A Smith, Annabel Smith, Linda Smith, Duffield, Biddulph, Bingham & Radcliffe-on-Trent, Bishops Mary and John Spendlove, Rob Stamper, Brenda Stride, Stortford, Blackpool Palatine, Bognor Regis, Boscombe Margaret Swaine, Ann Sykes, Rosemary Symes, Christine & Southbourne, Bourne End & Cookham, Braids, Bridge Tacon, K and B Taylor, J H Titterton, Dianne Tomlinson, of Allan & Dunblane, Brighton & Hove Soiree, Burnham Josephine Tym, Susan van Daesdonk, Peter Venables, Beeches, Burntisland & Kinghorn, Burntwood, Buxton, Adrian Walker, Josephine Walker, Robert Walker, Wendy Calverley, Cannock, Chelmsford Phoenix, Chesterfield, Walker, Albert Waterfield, Mrs M Waters, T B Webb, A C Chesterfield Scarsdale, Church Wilne, Clay Cross, Webber, Kathleen White, Ruth Whitmore, Gill Wilkinson, Cleckheaton & District, Corby, Crowthorne & Sandhurst, Norah Williams, John Wood and Brian Wright. Cupar, Currie Balerno, Derby, Dunbar, Ellesmere, Endeavour, Eyemouth & District, Fakenham, Folkestone Channel, Finally, our thanks to the many organisations which Furness, Garstang & Over Wyre, Gloucester, Great Harwood have supported us during 2019 so far: 3rd Matlock Scouts, & Rishton, Greenford, Haddington, Haworth and Worth Lea and Holloway; Alfreton Wesleyan Church; All Saints Valley, Hayle, Hemel Hempstead, Henley in Arden, Hexham, PCC, Ashover; All Saints Wingerworth Mothers Union; Hornsea & East Riding, Hunstanton, Huntly, Irlam, Kelso, Anderson Parish Church, Kilsyth; Ashbourne branch, Kendal, Kilsyth, Kingston upon Thames, Kirkcudbright, Parkinsons UK; Ashbourne Road Church, Derby; Ashford Leigh, Letchworth Howard, Lichfield St Chad, Long in the Water WI; Bakewell Age UK Day Centre; Bakewell Eaton, Long Eaton Dawnbreakers, Longniddry & District, Friday Group; Barnes Wallis Academy; Beacon Methodist Macclesfield Castle, Malton and Norton, Mansfield, Church, Stephen Hill; Bishop Monkton C of E Primary Marlow Thames, Matlock, Meriden, Mounts Bay, Newport School; Bosworth Independent College; Burnaston WI; (Shrops) Lite, North Worcestershire, Oswestry Cambrian, Burnaston C of E Primary School; Chesham Townswomen’s Otley Chevin, Otter Valley, Penrith, Pontefract, Retford, Guild; Cliff Inn Horticultural Society; Coal Aston Fellowship Rickmansworth, Ripon, Rotherham, Rushcliffe, Saffron Group; Cornwater Evergreens; Darley Dale Indoor Bowls Walden, Scunthorpe, Sheffield Vulcan, Shepshed, Sherwood Club; Dove Holes and Peak Dale Schools; Hartington Social Forest, Shipston on Stour, Shrewsbury, Skipton, Sleaford, Group; Highfields School; Holymoorside Ladies Club; South Queensferry, Southampton Clausentum, Southwell, Kirby Hill C of E Primary School; Knowle United Reformed Stafford Knot, Sturminster Newton, Trent Bridge, Turriff, Church; Little Eaton Ladies Conservative Coffee Club; Little Twickenham, Walsall, Wetherby & District, Whitby & District, Eaton URC; Methodist Table; Moorlands Brunch Bunch; Whitchurch, Wirksworth, Witham, Wrexham Erddig, and Morpeth Methodist Church; Mugginton PCC; Riddings finally Zimbabwe. Church of Christ; Rutland Lunch Group; Sawley Parish Church; Shottlegate and District WI; Solihull Sea Rangers; We are grateful to all these Inner Wheel Clubs: South Normanton WI; Spondon Rendezvous; St Mary’s, Alfreton, Appleby, Barrow, Beeston, Brighouse, Buxton, Wirksworth; St Mary’s, Theydon Bois; St Nicholas Ladies Chelmer Bridge, Heswall, Holmfirth, Kendal, Macclesfield, Christian Fellowship; St Peter’s Men’s Group, Ravenshead; Mansfield, Matlock, Scarborough, Seaford, Shrewsbury, St Bartholomew’s Church, Hognaston; St Clement’s Church, Stratford upon Avon, Uttoxeter, Warsop, and West Ashfield. Horsley; St Faith’s Community Association; St. George’s Church, Brockholes; St Nicholas C of E Primary School; Thanks too to all the following individuals: Roz Adamson, St Wilfrid’s Christmas Tree Festival; Salvation Army Clay Mrs A Anderson, Geoffrey Barton, Hilary Bellamy, Kath Cross Corps; Stephen Hill Methodist Church; Wednesday Bishell, John Blowes, Pamela Booth, Glynne Bowsher, John Coffee Club, Etwall; Welcome Wednesday Group; Brown, Mrs R Carter, Colin Cartwright, Anne Catchpole, Wellspring Church; Westdale Trefoil Guild; Wingerworth John Chapman, J M Chappell, Peter Clark, Liza Coates, John WI; Wirksworth and District Probus Club, and Wirksworth Dolan, Samuel Easton, Mrs J Fletcher, John Fletcher, Mrs Freedom Feed’em. K Galt, David Godson, John and Catherine Gooch, Eveline Griffith, Frances Hanna, Keith and Helen Hardy, Simon Please continue to keep Aquabox in your charitable plans – Haslam, Malcolm Hawton, Nigel Hay, Martin Hayes, Michael we can do nothing without you!

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