Celebrity health tipple
10/07/2006
Celebrities from the worlds of sport, fashion, art and entertainment are backing a campaign to encourage North Easterners to drink more.
Northumbrian Water’s ‘Water for health’ campaign promotes the health benefits of drinking tap water to customers – from tots to grandparents.
Tap water quality in the North East is among the best in the country and excellent value for money – 50 glasses for around one penny. More reason for the water company’s 2.6 million customers, from Berwick to North Yorkshire and across to the Pennines, to drink the recommended eight glasses (two litres) of tap water every day.
Gold medal athlete and television presenter, Steve Cram, said: “It is vital that top performing sports men and women look after their bodies and keeping hydrated is a very important part of a strict health regime. I try to eat healthily, ensure I get enough sleep, exercise regularly and drink the recommended eight glasses of water a day.
“Once you get into the habit of doing this it becomes easier and you will see results as a healthy lifestyle definitely improves mental and physical performance. Try it from today!”
Football legend, Jack Charlton, who recently made his feelings known about world cup players not having access to and drinking enough water, said: “I have travelled the world and we are very fortunate in this country to have excellent tap water. We all take it for granted every day - others in the world aren’t so privileged. We should appreciate it more and drink more!”
Actress Susan Hampshire OBE believes drinking tap water keeps you looking younger: “It’s refreshing, cheap, on tap and one of the best beauty and health aids I know. As you get older you need to keep drinking lots of water. Water is absolutely right for the young at heart and I support Northumbrian Water in their campaign.”
Other celebrities who have endorsed Northumbrian Water’s ‘Water for health’ campaign include Dr Gillian McKeith, presenter of Channel 4’s You Are What You Eat and internationally acclaimed holistic nutritionist, Bruce Oldfield, fashion designer, Chris Cook, North East Commonwealth swimmer andJudith Rasmussen from Sport England.
The ‘Water for health’ campaign, which is supported by an information pack, raises awareness of the importance of the whole family drinking enough tap water – all growing things need watering!
0 The ‘Chill out’ initiative enables school children to have access to cool, excellent quality tap water in a hygienic location. Northumbrian Water will install at least one free mains-fed water cooler in local authority schools throughout its supply area. Currently, there are 397 mains-fed coolers installed in 280 schools across the region.
0 Sickness absence costs employers at least £11 billion each year and 33 million working days are lost to occupational ill health every year. Northumbrian Water promotes mains-fed water coolers for businesses - working people need watering. Well-nourished and hydrated employees are resistant to illness and recover more quickly.
0 Northumbrian Water is bottling tap water, branded ‘97’. The name reflects the amount of quality tests tap water goes through before reaching customers taps. So far around 140,000 500ml of 97 have been distributed free to 230 events across the region. The huge variety of events includes fun runs, sporting events, fetes and teddy bears picnics! This is a fun way of promoting the importance to drinking enough water every day.
0 The water company exercises its community involvement and encourages a healthy lifestyle from a young age through a range sporting partnerships and sponsorships. Tap water is fuel for health and fitness.
0 ‘Water for the young at heart’ is the strand of the ‘Water for health’ campaign that encourages older people to drink more tap water. Dehydration has been identified as one of the main causes for falls in the older people. Northumbrian Water employees give talks to a variety of different groups and distribute water jugs which can be put in the fridge to make access to cold, refreshing tap water easy.
Care Directions is the internet’s unique guide to care and the rights of older people. The information resource supports Northumbrian Water’s ‘Water for health’ campaign – for more information go to www.caredirections.co.uk
For further information and interviews please contact Cara Hall on 0191 301 6720.