Juliette Banner

How restaurants can Tap into WaterAid

The team behind the Tap into WaterAid campaign, which officially launched last week at Banner’s restaurant in London’s Crouch End, revealed the benefits of restaurants that support the scheme, along with a guide to how they could get involved.

The Tap into WaterAid initiative is encouraging restaurants to ask their customers to make a small donation in return for their tap water. With just one in six people not having access to safe water, and a massive 5,000 children dying every day from water-related diseases, WaterAid are hoping that the dining industry will feel inspired and get involved.

Stella, from the village of Jeremiah in Zambia, explained to WaterAid's team the difficulties unsafe water has caused her: "This water is very bad, it is terrible for us. I worry so much feeding it to my children. I only give it to Joseph (the youngest of three) twice a day as I am afraid if I give him too much water from this source then he will be sick and die."

Banner's restaurant decided to pioneer the WaterAid venture in 2005, when they started asking customers for a 15p voluntary donation in return for table water.

And after three successful years, the 60-cover eatery has raised a huge £10,000 for WaterAid, which will provide safe, clean water to over 300 people in poorer countries.

Juliette Banner, owner of Banner's, explained to Eat Out magazine how she promotes the campaign in her business: "The beauty of having a restaurant and supporting WaterAid is that you can put the relevant information about the charity on the table for customers to read and understand whilst eating their meal.

"But I do think it would be harder for pubs to support WaterAid because the staff simply do not have the time to explain to every customer coming up to the bar what the campaign is and why they should donate. But that's not saying bars shouldn't give it a go."

On the menu at Banner's there is a page dedicated to the campaign, explaining what it is and why customers should donate. The menu and the customer's bill specify that this is an optional charge, and if customers do not want to make a donation, the 15p sum can easily be refunded.

Juliette went on to give other restaurateurs and caterers tips and advice on how to get involved:

• Firstly, get in touch with WaterAid via their website www.wateraid.org.uk  which will give business's advice and information on setting up the scheme – providing information for both the customer and the business.
• Then put something together for your customers – some information on what WaterAid is all about, why they should donate, and the benefits of donating.
• Ring up the local press and get them to publicise that your business is backing the scheme.
• Programme your till – so your WaterAid sales are separate to your food and drink bills.
• Write a cheque out every month to WaterAid

"It's just a case of restaurants doing what they already do" Juliette explained. "But one thing that did worry me slightly when signing up to this scheme was the possible drop in sales of bottled water. But with the amount of people drinking bottled water decreasing, my restaurant has not lost out on much.

 "The response we've had from the public has been phenomenal – people are normally happy to pay a contribution when they know it helps give clean drinking water to people less fortunate than themselves. People who hear what we're doing tell us it's a really positive thing."

Adeline Moe, who is overseeing the project, explained the benefits to restaurant businesses: "It is a feel good factor for restaurants, that they are supporting an organisation through their business. They are also playing an active part in making the world a better place."

Adeline also highlighted an interesting point that when customers are asking for tap water, they are getting it free of charge anyway, so by encouraging your customers to donate 15p for charity, your business is not losing out on anything.

She added: "With restaurants depending on tap water so much, this subject is crucial to the industry."

WaterAid will work differently from business to business. Firstly, it is up to the business how much they would like to donate, and how it will fit in line with their branding and identity. These are all aspects in which WaterAid would work together with the business to make the scheme work.

Restaurants that are already taking part in the scheme are: The Quarter Restaurant, Liverpool; The Cottage Co-operative, Bradford On Avon; Queens Wood Café, London; Polmary Restaurant, Looe; The Bell at Buckland, Frome; The Marshmallow Restaurant, Moreton in Marsh; and The Churchill Arms, Chipping Campden.

These are all restaurants that have approached WaterAid without the charity having to promote or advertise its scheme.

The WaterAid team hopes to roll this initiative out nationwide.

Banner's restaurant serves up "home-cooked, honest food from around the world." Average spend for a two-course meal including drinks is £25.00.