Let water flow into your life
05/04/2005
The leading role that Northumbrian Water is playing in a national public health campaign will be highlighted at a conference on Tyneside tomorrow (6 April 2005).
The Annual Public Health Forum is being held in Newcastle and attended by the, Health Secretary, the Rt Hon Dr John Reid MP. It is the largest multi-disciplinary public health conference in the UK, attracting up to 1,000 delegates from all parts of the UK, the Republic of Ireland and overseas.
Northumbrian Water’s Managing Director and the keynote speaker at one of the sessions tomorrow morning, John Cuthbert, said: “Water is not a panacea, nor is it the elixir of youth. A regular intake will not make you impervious to disease, irresistible to the opposite sex, immensely wealthy or impressively wise.
“It will help improve your mental and physical performance and keep your bodily functions working well. Scientific research supports the importance of hydration and there is growing evidence that water has stronger links to health than we have previously understood. It is calorie free and works out at about 50 glasses for just one penny.”
Northumbrian Water’s ‘Water for health’ campaign is leading the water industry in promoting the health benefits of drinking enough tap water - a recommended eight glasses a day for young and old alike.
As part of the ‘Water for health’ campaign Northumbrian Water has:
155 mains-fed water coolers have been installed in 118 schools throughout the North East and South East* – encouraging tens of thousands of children to drink more tap water. Northumbrian Water has donated more than £100,000 to enable schools to apply for a grant to have coolers installed.
A similar campaign is underway to encourage businesses to have mains-fed water coolers installed.
‘Water for the young at heart’ is an initiative aimed at the elderly to encourage them drink more water and increase their awareness of the health benefits. This is being supported by Susan Hampshire OBE.
Awareness of the importance of everyone drinking enough water has been raised through a high profile press campaign.
John Cuthbert added: “Northumbrian Water’s message is very simple, drinking more water will do wonders for your physical and mental wellbeing. By working in partnership, by pooling our efforts, skill and resources, we are demonstrating that a simple message can go along way and have substantial immediate and longer-term benefits for our region.”
Water UK’s Planning and Policy Advisor, Nick Ellins, will also speak at the conference tomorrow: “Northumbrian Water’s campaign is a working example of co-ordinated health promotion where stakeholders in the North East have joined resources to promote and improve the consumption of the primary nutrient – tap water.”
For further information contact Cara Hall on 0191 301 6720.
Note: *Northumbrian Water supplies 2.6million customers in the North East of England with water and sewerage services and 1.7 million water only customers in the South East of England through it’s Essex & Suffolk Water division.