Page 39 Supporting our communities


One water
An estimated 1 billion people don't have access to clean water and 2 million people die each year from water-related diseases – facts that the founders of One, an ethical bottled water, recognised. All profits from the sales of One water go to fund pumps that provide clean water for African villages, and through our commitment to responsible trade, we have been selling bottles of One water in Waitrose.

But these aren't just any pumps, they're PlayPumps™, which are sited over a borehole – usually near a rural school – and powered by a children's roundabout, so that rather than spending hours each day fetching clean water, children can now come to school, then take the water home with them.
Each retailer selling One water determines the price at which it buys the water, and how much money it donates. Having sold 500ml bottles, we now sell 750ml bottles and have increased our donation per bottle from 3 pence to 10 pence. Forty-four PlayPumps had been installed by the end of 2007, providing clean water to over 120,000 people in more than 80 communities, including the first Waitrose-funded PlayPump at Matsaseng in South Africa's NorthWest Province.

We are now making One water available in all our shops and cafés, and hope to extend the range we sell.

A video about the installation of the first Waitrose PlayPump and the real difference that fresh clean water makes to a community is available at www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk.

"Education is the only way out of poverty for these children. They now get to spend more time at school and are thriving because they aren't thirsty and dehydrated. Some schools now have enough water to grow vegetables so the children are better fed, and a couple are selling surplus produce and reinvesting the money into the school."
Kelly Phillips Head of Africa, One water

(picture of a lily flower, caption:)

Longstock Park Water Garden, part of our Leckford Estate, is rated one of the finest gardens of its type in Europe, and is open to the public on alternate Sunday afternoons from April to September. Proceeds from these visits go to local charities.


Business protection and combating crime
Our Partners, customers, shops and other assets are all protected appropriately against the risks we face, and we work actively with others to contribute to the wellbeing of the communities in which we operate.

We are represented in, and in some cases lead, local business efforts to create safer communities through information sharing, radio information networks, providing Special Constables to the 'Shopwatch' community policing scheme, and developing close links with the police. For example, Waitrose Biggin Hill in Kent is an active member of the Neighbourhood Watch scheme, co-funds high street CCTV facilities, and provides the police with rest facilities and subsidised dining for their breaks, extending their presence in the local community.

As a future priority, we are working as part of the National Retail Crime Steering Group, administered by the British Retail Consortium, to develop a coherent strategy to respond to retail crime in the UK. We also remain alert for opportunities to support local social initiatives that emphasise ethical and respectful behaviour, such as local youth schemes.


Let's Get Cooking
Waitrose is a key partner for the Let's Get Cooking pilot project, a five-year, Lottery-funded programme that will invest £20million in setting up 5,000 school cooking clubs. Addressing issues such as obesity, health, nutrition and education, the aim is to inspire up to 1.5million children to improve their food preparation and cooking skills, and increase their intake of healthy food. Working with the first few primary schools that signed up to the scheme, Partners from Waitrose and John Lewis in Sheffield will be involved in a range of employee volunteering, pro bono work and in-kind support.


Further information
> www.bitc.org.uk Business in the Community
> www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk/ourresponsibilities Our community
> www.onewater.org One water
> www.letsgetcooking.org.uk Let's Get Cooking project
> www.lbg-online.net London Benchmarking Group