BPEC continues its support for Aquabox for third consecutive year

The BPEC Charity has continued its support for international water aid charity Aquabox for a third consecutive year, with a £3,500 donation that will help provide clean water to more than 6,000 people following future disasters.

BPEC Chief Executive Neil Collishaw recently visited Aquabox at its Matlock premises to see first-hand how the charity has continued to develop its filter manufacturing and assembly operations.

Aquabox is a volunteer-led charity providing water filtration units and humanitarian aid to communities around the world affected by natural disasters and conflict. Over the past 12 months, its work has included responses in Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Lebanon, Malawi, Uganda, Mozambique, Rwanda and Ukraine, alongside aid shipments supporting relief efforts in Sri Lanka, Northern Uganda and Malawi.

BPEC’s £3,500 donation, made in May, will enable Aquabox to provide 10 community filters and 24 family filters when it next responds to a disaster, providing sufficient capacity to meet the water needs of more than 6,000 people.

Since BPEC’s previous visit, Aquabox has also made significant developments in the way its filtration systems are produced. The charity has gained the manufacturing rights for its filters and introduced new in-house assembly lines.

This includes the new Mk5 family filter, an improved model which Aquabox is now producing at a rate of approximately 6,000 units each year. Its larger community filter is also now assembled in-house, with around 100 units produced annually.

During his visit, Neil met Aquabox Chair of Trustees Roger Cassidy, members of staff and some of the volunteers who play a key role in the charity’s work. Roger also showed Neil the new assembly lines used to produce the family and community filters.

Neil Collishaw, BPEC Chief Executive, said:

“Having supported Aquabox for three consecutive years, it is fantastic to see how the charity continues to develop and increase its ability to provide clean water where it is desperately needed.

“What really stands out when you visit is the commitment of everyone involved. The staff and volunteers are doing remarkable work, and seeing the new filters being assembled in-house really brings home what our support can help them achieve.

“Knowing that this year’s BPEC Charity donation will ultimately help provide clean water for more than 6,000 people following disasters around the world makes this an incredibly worthwhile partnership, and one we are very proud to continue.”

The BPEC Charity supports projects both within the plumbing and heating industry and further afield, using funds generated by BPEC to support education, development and communities in need.