by Fern Shaw | Apr 8, 2013 | Charity, Water Coolers
The Elephant Pump – how does it work?
What is it?
The Elephant Pump is a manual activated water pump based on a 2000 year-old Chinese design that the CEO of The Africa Trust, Ian Thorpe, adapted, to make it stronger and more durable.
This award winning Pump brings a cost effective, reliable and sustainable solution to one of Africa’s biggest problems.
What does it do?
It is made and maintained using materials that are locally available in remote rural sub-Saharan African communities, which means that once the Pump has been built, local resources can be drawn upon for repairs and replacement parts.
It draws water up from a well at a high volume – approximately 1 litre per second. That means 60 litres per minute.
How does it work?
As the handle is turned, water is drawn up from a well of up to 30 meters in depth via a central pipe by washers attached to a rope. As the pump mechanism is fully enclosed to exclude sources of contamination, it yields a quality and quantity of water which exceeds WHO guidelines. The surplus water is used for livestock and irrigation of crops.
What are the benefits of the Pump?
The Elephant Pump has already contributed to bringing over 2 million people in rural Africa, a safe water source, at a price significantly less in comparison to comparable hand pumps.
- The ancient methods of constructing the Pump ensure the materials can be locally sourced and built, further promoting employment within the local community.
- Reliability – At any one time around 95% of existing Elephant Pumps are in operation which is 40% above the average for Africa.
- Ease of Use – The Elephant Pump is safe and suitable for operation by children and the elderly.
- High Volume – The Pump can provide 500 people with 20 litres per person, per day for domestic use.
- The money saved from installing an Elephant Pump provides enough money to build an additional pump providing a further 500 people with water.
Where does AquAid fit in?
At AquAid, we continually strive to supply water coolers that are best suited to our customers’ requirements thereby ensuring that our customers keep hydrated. At the same time, our water coolers also help provide safe drinking water to thousands of people every year by donating to sustainable charities; the Elephant Pumps in particular, being built as a direct result of monies donated to The Africa Trust.
How do you fit in?
For each purchase of an AquAid water cooler, a portion of that revenue is donated to Christian Aid and The Africa Trust.
We also have on-going paperless campaigns where selected customers are offered the opportunity to have an Elephant Pump with their name on it, built in a rural community, thereby ensuring a safe water supply to others less fortunate.
So when you use our services you are also benefiting many others in the developing world and helping to save lives.
by Fern Shaw | Mar 26, 2013 | Water Coolers
No stranger to hard work that brings results, AquAid South Coast have a substantial customer base that they have been servicing since 2000.
This is achieved, in part, by being staffed by a great team, headed up by Mike O’ Dononghue, photographed below assisting with a delivery to one of AquAid South Coast’s most recent and rather prestigious customers, St. Mary’s Stadium, home to Southampton F.C
St Mary’s Stadium is a UEFA 4-star rated stadium and with a capacity of 32 689, is the largest football stadium in the south of England, outside of London. Apart from hosting countless football matches since being opened in 2001, the stadium has also hosted other notable events such as film premieres for movies such as Casino Royale, as well as music concerts by Elton John in 2005 and Bon Jovi in 2006.
There was a tribute to Elvis Presley in August 2007 and Southampton fan Craig David played at St Mary’s on 25 October 2007.
In the Northam Stand, the Saints Study Support Centre – a club run initiative to help school children outside of class – can be found, along with the offices of Southampton City Training, a quasi-council run organisation which helps young people get vocational training.
So, a very busy stadium, choc-a-block with very busy people means a lot of thirst and a definite need to keep all hydrated during their working days.
To this end, AquAid have installed 26 mains fed water coolers at St Mary’s Stadium, thereby ensuring that not only will all the busy people at St Mary’s keep hydrated and productive but, that by their purchase, they will be contributing towards children in Third World countries being able to have access to clean, fresh drinking water through contributions to Christian Aid and The Africa Trust.
A win-win situation!
by Fern Shaw | Mar 11, 2013 | Health and Hydration, Water Coolers
Various campaigns and studies to do with schools and drinking water conducted over the last decade or so have produced a mixed bag of results.
One thing is clear though – a hydrated child is a much happier child for a number of reasons. This fact, combined with you, as the parents, leading by example and the schools ensuring that drinking water is readily available makes for a holistic approach to hydration. Here are a few examples of why:
It boosts learning
- The key to boosting the capacity to learn is to keep well hydrated throughout the day.
- When we are thirsty, mental performance including memory, attention and concentration can decrease by about 10 per cent. Pupils concentrate better because they are not distracted by the effects of dehydration such as thirst, tiredness and irritability.
- Children will achieve more when both their health and learning needs are met. Ensuring free access to water and promoting a regular water intake throughout the school day is a vital role for schools in promoting health and providing a healthy learning environment.
It’s healthy!
- Drinking adequate amounts of water regularly throughout the day can protect health and contribute to well-being.
- Drinking adequate amounts of water can help prevent a range of short and long-term health problems from headaches, bladder, kidney and bowel problems to cancer.
- Water has none of the health problems associated with drinks containing sugar, additives, sweeteners, acids or caffeine.
Parents?
- By keeping yourself hydrated, you teach your children good drinking habits. Good for them, good for you.
- By checking that your children’s school has toilets that you would use and that there are sufficient drinking points (not only in the toilets), you’re working your way towards ensuring that your children can easily hydrate.
And for the school?
- As children spend the majority of their day at school, it is very important that the school provides fresh drinking water.
- Various studies have shown that schools that lead by example and encourage their children to keep hydrated show a marked improvement in overall attention given as well as learning capabilities.
- A child who is not irritable because of dehydration means that teachers are able to better teach their pupils.
AquAid have, for many years, been involved in campaigns spearheading the importance of drinking water.
We know it is of vital importance.
To this end, we ensure that we have a wide selection of water coolers that are installed into schools, gyms and learning centres across the country. When we install a water cooler in a school, we have individual water bottles available to encourage the children to fill their water bottles throughout the day.
Our water coolers can either be mains fed for large schools where the water consumption is high, or for schools where there are no water mains close to a particular area, bottled water coolers can be installed and replaced on scheduled intervals.
by Fern Shaw | Mar 5, 2013 | Water Coolers
I’m sure that we’ve all heard the expression, ‘Don’t drink the water, fish live in it’ and all the rather awful imagery conjured up from that thought. If that isn’t enough to put you off drinking tap water for a good while, try these water inhabitants on for size:
Ashrays
Ashrays, or Water Lovers, are from Scottish mythology and are believed to be completely translucent water creatures that are often mistaken for sea ghosts. They can be both male and female and can be found only under water. Being completely nocturnal, one would never come across such creatures during the day. When captured and exposed to sunlight Ashrays supposedly melt and only a puddle of water remains.
Bäckahästen
Bäckahästen means brook horse; this was the name of a mythological horse in Scandinavian folklore. She would appear near rivers in foggy weather, and whoever decided to ride on her back was unable to get off again. The horse would than jump into the river, drowning the rider. Celtic folklore describes shape-shifting horses called kelpies, and it is thought Bäckahästen may be a kelpie.
Blue men of the Minch
These supernatural sea creatures were said to live in underwater caves in the Minch, a straight between Lewis, Long Island and the Shiant Islands near Scotland. The Blue Men looked like humans with blue skins. They were infamous for swimming alongside passing ships, and attempting to wreck them by conjuring storms and by luring sailors into the water. If a captain wanted to save his ship he had to finish their rhymes and solve their riddles and always make sure he got the last word.
Bunyip
Bunyip literally means devil, or spirit. It is a mythological creature from Aboriginal Australia that was said to lurk in swamps, creeks, riverbeds and waterholes. Aborigines thought they could hear their cries at night. They believed Bunyip took humans as a food source when their stock was disturbed, preferably women and they tended to blame the Bunyip for disease spread in the river area. Bunyip supposedly had flippers, a horse-like tail and walrus-like tusks.
Here, at AquAid, we can’t promise you unlikely tales of creatures in your water cooler, but we do guarantee that the water we supply will be fresh spring water bottled and sealed at one of our three sources in the U.K.
Even more marvellous is that for each purchase you make, a percentage of the revenue generated goes to sustainable clean drinking water projects in Africa and other Third World countries.
by Fern Shaw | Feb 27, 2013 | Water Coolers
As you may well know, an integral part of AquAid’s professional ethos has always been to work smart; be kind to our environment (from whence we draw our sustenance in so many ways) and be charitable with a knock-on effect by involving ourselves in sustainable projects globally, choosing projects that allow people to empower and help themselves long after water pumps have been installed and wells built.
Purchases of AquAid’s range of water coolers, water boilers, in cup drinks and water fountains has generated donations for January 2013 as follows:
£6,735 to Christian Aid
and
£50,492 to The Africa Trust
In 2012, a total of £88,600 was donated to Christian Aid and £688,000 to The Africa Trust.
The Africa Trust works to bring sustainable solutions to poverty in Africa. This includes establishing sustainable supplies of clean productive water and decent sanitation. Income generating projects are used to pay school fees, improve clinics and generate the funds needed to run orphanages.
Wealth creation is an important objective, with business skills training helping school leavers and villagers to start or expand profitable businesses. One of the innovative new projects is growing bananas to pay for school fees. The banana plantation can only be established once an Elephant Pump or piped water plus a fenced area, have been installed at the school.
More information about the banana growing and other sustainable projects can be found here, paying for school fees with bananas!
We are looking forward to a wonderfully successful 2013 and of course, our previous, current and future successes with our charitable contributions are all because of the relationship we have with you, our valued client.
by Fern Shaw | Feb 22, 2013 | Charity, Water Coolers
As was mentioned in our previous blog, we at AquAid Birmingham maintain great staff retention partly due to our work ethic and partly due to our organisation being staffed by a team of professionals who also care about those other than themselves.
This attitude is spearheaded by Scott Barnbrook, who is the Regional Manager here at AquAid Birmingham.
Scott has just competed in the www.toughguy.co.uk competition and in doing so, raised in excess of £500 for Birmingham Dog’s Home www.birminghamdogshome.org.uk , further illustrating that it’s not just about a fellow man, but man’s best friend too.
AquAid Birmingham believes strongly in optimum service, by ensuring that we effect prompt deliveries. This allows us to maintain multiple key accounts, a few examples being large contracts with many large building sites where they are on lengthy projects building new hospitals and large Tesco’s stores.
AquAid Birmingham’s efficient and knowledgeable account managers and sales team are available for anyone requiring water cooler; water boiler or drinks solutions for their school, organisation or company.
Please feel free to fill out the form below to have one of the team contact you. We’ll be delighted to assist you
