UK Coffee Week™, the nation’s largest charitable celebration of coffee launches today to raise money for clean water projects in African coffee-growing countries.

Customers can visit participating coffee chains such as Caffè Fratelli, Caffè Nero, Caffè Ritazza, Crussh, Debenhams restaurants and cafés, Muffin Break, Pumpkin Café and Soho Coffee Co., as well as many independent cafés which are inviting consumers to add a voluntary 5p to the price of their coffee.

The week-long celebration also includes in-store activities and events such as coffee tasting sessions, roastery tours and The London Coffee Festival to raise money for Project Waterfall, the initiative providing Tanzanian communities with access to clean water in partnership with international charity WaterAid.

A big thank you to everyone who took part in The Big Challenge, our first ever 10Km sponsored walk held around the River Thames on Sunday 15 April.

Crowds of people and a few furry friends turned up at The Scoop, More London and carried up to 10L of water for the final 5Km of the walk to represent the difficult daily task of fetching water undertaken by African women and children. Money raised will support vital clean water projects in African coffee-growing countries.

The Big Challenge was the official pre-launch event of UK Coffee Week™ 2012—the nation’s largest charitable celebration of coffee— being held from 23-29 April. 

Check out some great pictures of the day at Claudia Brookes Photography.

Several of London’s most popular East End destinations will be hosting an exciting range of public events as part of the upcoming UK Coffee Week™ 2012 festivities.

UK Coffee Week, being held between 23-29 April, is the nation’s largest celebration of coffee that raises money Project Waterfall’s clean water initiatives in African coffee-growing countries.

Jeffrey Young, Chairman of Allegra Foundation the charity organising UK Coffee Week™ said he is thrilled London’s East has embraced UK Coffee Week to help raise awareness and money for Project Waterfall.

“The East End is becoming the new heart of London’s buzzing coffee scene, so it’s great the week’s biggest fundraising celebrations are taking place there,” Mr Young said.

“UK Coffee Week kicks off with fantastic independent events such as a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony hosted by Ethiopian Coffee Company at St Mark’s Clerkenwell, coffee tasting sessions at Nude Espresso, and roastery tours and coffee sampling Ozone Coffee Roasters.

“Look Mum No Hands! is again holding its lively Rollapaluza challenge where two cyclists battle it out on a pair of mounted bikes at extremely high speeds, accompanied by music, an MC and cheering crowds.

“The week wraps up with The London Coffee Festival, our flagship event being held at The Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane from 27-29 April, with 50 per cent of ticket sale proceeds going to Project Waterfall.

“The festival celebrates the city’s emerging coffee culture and will showcase some of the best coffee and gourmet food, world-class barista demonstrations and great live music.

“Visitors will be able to learn the different ways to brew coffee at home, visit their favourite barista at The True Artisan Café, a pop-up coffee shop and graze their way through the street market,” Mr Young said.

The week also includes a nationwide programme of charitable collections; in-store activities; Coffee@Work which invites workplace employees to donate towards hot beverages made at work during the week; and The Big Challenge 10Km sponsored charity walk.

Close to 4,000 coffee shops and cafés will be taking part in UK Coffee Week™ 2012, the nation’s largest charitable celebration of coffee being held from 23-29 April.

Large chains including Greggs and Costa are proudly supporting the week, with Caffè Nero, Debenhams restaurants and cafés, Caffè Ritazza, Pumpkin Café, Muffin Break, Crussh, Soho Coffee Co., Caffè Fratelli and Benugo all inviting customers to add a voluntary 5p to the price of their coffee.

Money raised during UK Coffee Week will go directly to Project Waterfall, the initiative providing clean water projects in African coffee-growing countries in partnership with international charity WaterAid.

Jeffrey Young, Chairman of Allegra Foundation the charity organising UK Coffee Week said the support from the booming coffee and foodservice industry this year has been astonishing.

“We’re thrilled to have some of the nation’s biggest coffee chains, along with hundreds of independent shops, on board this year to raise money for Project Waterfall,” Mr Young said.

“With the UK coffee sector growing by six per cent in the last 12 months with an estimated sales value of £5.4 billion, it’s important for the industry and consumers to unite and give back to coffee communities that aren’t as fortunate as us.

“For example, in Tanzania where Project Waterfall’s first initiative is being delivered, only 54 per cent of the population have access to a clean source of water.

“Even more tragic is that approximately 20,000 Tanzanian children under five die each year from diarrhoeal diseases as a direct result of unsafe water and poor sanitation.

“UK Coffee Week will raise awareness of the need for clean water in these communities as well as funds for what is essentially a basic human right,” Mr Young said.

UK Coffee Week 2012 will include a nationwide programme of charitable collections, in-store activities, new fundraising initiatives such as Coffee@Work which invites workplace employees to donate towards hot beverages made at work during the week; The Big Challenge a 10Km sponsored charity walk; and, the popular London Coffee Festival, being held from 27-29 April.

Today is World Water Day, an annual day set up by the United Nations in 1993 to look at global water issues.

Tragically, current figures show that 783 million people worldwide do not have access to clean water, and this, coupled with poor sanitation, results in the unnecessary deaths of 4,000 children daily.

You can help make a difference by donating to Project Waterfall, the charitable initiative delivering clean water projects in Tanzania in partnership with WaterAid.

Visit the UK Coffee Week mydonate page or *text ‘UKCW12 £5’ to 70070 to donate today.

Access to clean water is a basic human right and together we can make life-saving differences to millions of people.

*The donation costs £5 plus a standard text message. 100% of donations go to Project Waterfall. Please ensure you have the bill payer’s permission before donating.

Photo: WaterAid/Marco Betti

Would you like to win a £50 hamper full of wonderful coffee goodies from Lavazza? If so, register for The Big Challenge by 6pm Friday 9 March 2012 to go into the draw and you could be the lucky winner selected at random.

The Big Challenge 10Km sponsored walk is taking place along the River Thames on Sunday 15 April 2012. Participants will carry up to 10L of water for the final 5Km of the walk to represent the difficult daily task of fetching water undertaken by African women and children. Money raised will support Project Waterfall’s sustainable clean water projects currently being delivered in Tanzania.

The walk is the official pre-launch event of UK Coffee Week™ 2012 being held from 23-29 April.

Go on, register with colleagues or friends and family today and help make a difference to those in need.

Registration will close at midnight Saturday 31 March and places are limited.  Sign up today and you may be the winner of this great prize!

(Photo: WaterAid/Marco Betti)

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