Member Article

Rapid Retail takes the plunge for clean water charity

A Worcestershire firm is putting its events experience to good use, to help a charity reduce the number of plastic bottles being discarded by festival-goers.

Rapid Retail, a pop up shop supplier based in Pershore, has donated one of its portable shop units and three mobile kiosks, to FRANK Water. The water charity will use the units to sell refillable water bottles and cups that festival visitors can then refill as often as they like with free chilled, filtered water.

The units will also help raise awareness of the charity’s safe water and sanitation programmes in India and Nepal.

The portable shop supplied by Rapid Retail has been fitted with a bar area, chilllers, water filters and taps. It will be making an appearance at 13* festivals being held across the UK this summer.

At its debut outing - the two-day Love Saves The Day festival in Bristol - more than 22,000 refills were provided, saving the same number of single-use plastic bottles from being used and discarded.

Katie Alcott, founder of FRANK Water, explains: “Single-use plastic bottles are usually made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and they make up the largest proportion of plastic bottle waste in the UK. Around 57% is recycled, while the rest ends up as landfill or litter clogging up waterways and posing a significant threat to wildlife. We want to change that.

“We’re really grateful to Rapid Retail for their support. The portable units they have donated are perfect. Previously, we relied on folding tables and gazebos, but this year we have a highly professional and eye-catching base. Importantly, we have something to work from that is robust and ready for action, whatever the UK weather throws at us.”

FRANK Water’s #pledgetorefill campaign encourages people to carry and use a refillable bottle. As well as working to reduce plastic bottle waste, the charity raises money to fund projects that provide clean water and sanitation for vulnerable families in India and Nepal.

Nick Daffern, MD of Rapid Retail, said: “What better way to put our design, build and logistics experience to good use, than to support a charity like FRANK Water. The team is doing such great work and is not only providing safe, clean water and toilets to communities in India & Nepal but is also having a measurable impact on waste plastic in the UK

“The pop up unit looks great and we hope it helps the FRANK Water team continue to make a difference by grabbing the attention of even more festival-goers. “

Public poor opinion of plastics was recently brought to the fore by David Attenborough’s BBC series Blue Planet II. Broadcast in November, the programme highlighted the damaging impact that single-use plastic is having on the world’s oceans. It has since been viewed over 14 million times and its influence continues to be felt.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Rapid Retail .