Royal recognition

09/10/2006

A North East water worker has received Royal recognition for outstanding charity achievement.

Alistair Baker, who works for Northumbrian Water, has received the Presidents Award for Voluntary Contribution to WaterAid.  The president of the international charity is HRH The Prince of Wales.

WaterAid provides clean drinking water, safe sanitation and hygiene education in Africa, Asia and the Pacific.  Alistair, who lives in Stanley, County Durham, has worked tirelessly for a decade to raise the profile of, and in turn as part of a team has helped to raise £2 million, for the charity.

The enterprising 53-year-old has championed WaterAid’s cause by creating and being involved with a huge array of projects which include touring the North East dressed as a giant silver tap, travelling to Zambia and Malawi to learn more about the work of the life-giving charity, braving the freezing cold North Sea for the Boxing Day dip and climbing 4000 feet to reach the top of a mountain in Scotland.

John Mowbray, Chairman of Northumbrian WaterAid’s Fundraising Committee, said:  “WaterAid runs through Alistair’s blood.  He has transformed the way the North East thinks about WaterAid using his contact with the regional media which is second to none.

“Using creative thinking to set up events and media opportunities, he has raised funds and awareness, typified by a recent media and MP visit to Malawi this year which he organised.  As a result of this trip Alistair, myself and Kevan Jones, MP for Durham North, are going to meet the Chancellor Gordon Brown later this month to discuss issues including how access to clean water affects education for children in the developing world.”

Being the recipient of WaterAid’s highest honour will further encourage Alistair to help save more lives:  “The more people who are aware about WaterAid and the life-saving work it does the closer the charity will get to meeting all of its goals overseas.  A child dies every 15 seconds in the developing world because of lack of clean drinking water, hygiene education and safe sanitation – I want to stop that happening.

“It is gratifying to get this personal acknowledgement but I am just part of a hugely motivated and hard working team of people that promotes the charity to give people what most of us in the North East take for granted.  I am very proud to be part of that team.”

For more information on WaterAid or to donate to the charity contact Julie Wilson on 0191 301 6713 or log onto www.wateraid.org.uk

For further information contact Cara Hall on 0191 301 6720.