Whitbread, operator of Costa Coffee and the Beafeater pub restaurant chain, has announced that through its fundraising efforts and the generosity of its guests it has raised £1m for the WaterAid charity
Since the partnership began in 2009 Whitbread, with the help of its teams, guests and suppliers, has helped over 66,000 people in India gain access to a lasting supply of safe water, improved hygiene and sanitation.
The group said that its team members had organised a variety of events to raise funds, from sponsored walks to marathons to dragon boat racing, and Premier Inn customers are invited to donate 30p when they make an online booking.
All funds go towards WaterAid's work in India, where the company has opened two new hotels in the past two years.
The announcement comes as Whitbread team members returned from visiting a number of WaterAid's projects in India.
Simon Ewins, business development & corporate responsibility director at Whitbread, who led the visit to Delhi and Patna, to see the impact that the fundraising has had on people's lives, said: “Our teams have worked very hard to raise £1 million pounds for WaterAid and this money will have a significant and positive impact on the lives of many thousands of impoverished people.
“My visit to India enabled me to understand the difficulties faced in communities without access to clean water and sanitation, I was also able to witness firsthand how our fundraising will give people a better chance in life.”
