How many times a day do you turn on the tap? It’s probably something you’ve never thought to count. And so long as you don’t leave it running unnecessarily, it doesn’t matter, either. The point is that in the UK we take access to clean, potable, safe water absolutely for granted. UK Coffee Week is encouraging coffee shops, eateries, pubs and the public to raise money for Project Waterfall. It’s an initiative set up in 2011 to bring clean water, sanitation and education to coffee-growing countries. Thousands of coffee shops – from specialist roasteries to cafés in garden centres - are taking part – and it’s not too late for you to register.
UK Coffee Week runs from Monday 29th April to Sunday 5th May.
For just £25 per coffee outlet (reduced to £20 per outlet if you have four or more), you’ll get the fundraising marketing pack (digital and, if you hurry, physical) to help publicise your coffee outlet and the incredibly worthy cause.
Where do funds raised during UK Coffee Week go?
More than £1m has been raised since 2011, enabling clean water projects in some of the poorest regions where coffee is produced: Ethiopia, Kenya, Nicaragua, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Vietnam. This year’s project is in the Jabi Tehnan district of Ethiopia, an area where 38% of the population rely on coffee for their livelihood. And we all know that coffee prices have been dropping for years. What’s more, in Ethiopia, 75% of the population has no access to clean water and a staggering 95% no access to sanitation. If you need more incentive to take part than that – head to www.projectwaterfall.org to read more.
What do I need to do?
The reassuring news is that 100% of any donations you make will go straight to projects at Project Waterfall. How you donate or raise funds is up to you. Since UK Coffee Week is now only days away, you may find it simplest to donate a percentage of profits taken during the week – or perhaps 5p, 10p or 15p per cup of coffee sold. If you sell bags of coffee, you could pledge 50p a bag for small bags or a couple of pounds for a 2kg bag of coffee beans. Other fundraising ideas include more social activities such as coffee cocktail nights or latte art classes. And let’s face it, both these are a great test bed for diversifying your coffee shop earnings and attracting new customers.
Alongside all this, you’ll want to get active on social media (like we haven’t nagged you about this before). Any or all of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter will be a great way to raise awareness and raise further funds. Make sure you post throughout the week. Use the hashtags #MyCupMatters and #ukcoffeeweek to share the positive message, highlight your coffee business’s involvement and share photos of your coffee creations. You could even run an online competition for followers – just make sure you get them to donate directly as well.
Good luck, enjoy, take pride – and next time you turn on the tap, think of just what clean water means to you and your business.