Rachel Stevens bottled it

Singer Rachel Stevens is to feature on limited edition Belu Water wrap as part of World Water Day.

The former S Club 7 singer and WaterAid ambassador Stevens, has joined forces with ethical bottled water company Belu to support the clean water charity.

From the 22nd March customers can bag a limited edition pack of Belu Water featuring an image of Rachel on her recent WaterAid project visit to Ethiopia. The packs will be sold exclusively in Sainsbury’s to help fundraise for the charity as all profits from the sale of Belu Water are donated to WaterAid projects that provide clean water and sanitation to some of the world’s poorest communities.

Rachel said: “I was heartbroken to learn that, until recently, the children I met had been missing out on school simply because they didn’t have something as simple and vital as a supply of clean water. Instead, their time was spent looking after sick family members or younger siblings and walking miles to collect water every day – water that they knew could also make them ill but which they had no choice but to drink.

“This prevented them from attending classes, despite knowing that education is key to changing their future. Their lack of choice and the large responsibility they had at such a young age was really upsetting to me, particularly as a Mum myself. There, and in other poor communities around the world, clean water can be the difference between children getting an education or not, having a carefree childhood and making their dreams of a better future become a reality.”

The wrap image shows Rachel with school children she met in Ethiopia, holding a message of thanks for those people who donated to WaterAid and therefore made it possible for the charity to install a clean water supply at their school and in their villages .

They told Rachel how they previously had no choice but to drink dirty water which regularly made them ill, and in some cases, had even led to the death of family members in the past – but now, thanks to the generosity of WaterAid supporters, their health has improved, they no longer have to look after sick family members and they can attend school regularly like other children their age.

“Belu donates all their profits to WaterAid so by buying a pack with your weekly shop, you are buying someone else a drink of safe, clean water too.

“Many people don’t have a choice about what they drink, but we do. We also have a choice of which bottled water we buy so I hope that the new wraps help Belu to stand out so that people choose water that helps give other people a chance. World Water Day is the perfect time to start making that difference.” Rachel adds.

The limited edition packs will be available in-store from World Water Day on the 22nd of March until September priced at £3.35 for six 1.5 litre bottles and £1.99 for six 500ml bottles.

[Reported by Vivian Summers]