Music to Africa's ears as records tumble

24/06/2010

Tens of thousands of music lovers rocked the charity world and raised almost £40,000 at Tyneside’s Weekender Evolution festival.

Record-breaking crowds raised a record amount for the charity WaterAid. It was also the biggest ever total raised from a single event for the charity by its Northumbrian Water-led regional committee.

The money, from a contribution from every ticket sold, VIP donations and a street collection, will transform lives of more than 2600 people in the developing world.

Northumbrian Water’s adopted international charity WaterAid will use the proceeds to provide clean drinking water, safe toilets and hygiene education in Africa.

Dozens of volunteers promoted the work of WaterAid and collected contributions at the two-day, weekend bank holiday festival on May 30 and 31 at Newcastle’s Spillers Wharf and Ballast Hills.

Well wishers made donations, bought hundreds of helium balloons and stick on tattoo transfers and drank cups of tap water dispensed from mobile ‘walking’ water points throughout the course of the festival.

All of the money raised will go directly to the charity with nothing taken out for expenses.

When the volunteer’s collection tins were emptied a total of £2,182.82 was counted. Ticket sale donations totalled £37,499.

Alistair Baker, for WaterAid, was issued with the street collection permit by Newcastle City Council.

He said: “Tens of thousands of music revellers soaked up the sounds and the sun (and the rain!) at what was the best ever Evolution Festival so far.

“And as they danced to the beat their generosity permanently changed the lives of people in Africa as well.

“A child dies every 17 seconds from disease caused by dirty water and yet it only costs £15 to provide clean drinking water, safe toilets and hygiene knowledge for someone there for their entire life.

“We can turn on the tap and take top quality water for granted. We also flush the toilet and know that what comes naturally will be treated to be safety returned to the environment.

“For those in the developing world that is not the case – it is literally a matter of life and death.

“The generosity of Evolution music lovers, many of them teenagers and young people, has saved many hundreds of lives this year and they can be rightly proud of their contribution,” said Alistair Baker.

FOOTNOTE : RUNNING WATER

Places are still available to run for WaterAid in the Great North Run on Sunday 19 September. For further information click on www.wateraid.org/greatnorthrun. 

Further information from Alistair Baker on 0191-301-6851 / 07711-793-493