- Stay Cooler campaign top of the agenda for the popular local MP’s visit -

Rt. Hon Tom Clarke MP visited the headquarters of Cameron Water in Bellshill on Friday 13 May to meet with the firm's hard-working local employees.

The visit presented an opportunity for Mr Clarke to learn about the British Water Cooler Association's "Stay Cooler" campaign, which aims to promote the benefits derived from a healthy and hydrated workforce.

Cameron Water's Managing Director, Ron Hounsell, explained that keeping employees sufficiently hydrated is a critical component of a wider campaign to improve the general health of the UK population and tackle ongoing health issues such as heart disease and obesity.

Mr Hounsell added that while it might be tempting for employers to look at cutting water cooler provision during tough economic times, the long-term benefits to workplace productivity and wellbeing far outweigh any cost savings in the shorter term.

The long-serving and popular local MP expressed his delight at visiting a promising local company and expressed his support for the Stay Cooler campaign.

Philip Dunne MP today, Friday the 10th June, visited Wenlock Spring in Shropshire as part of a UK-wide campaign to raise general awareness of the importance of regularly drinking water at the workplace.

The Stay Cooler! Campaign, launched by the British Water Cooler Association (BWCA) is linking with politicians, Trade Unions and interest groups across the UK to ensure the true value of the UK water cooler business is made clear to those who matter - including both consumers and decision makers.

Wenlock Spring has been based in location since 1989, employing some 30 people. The company sources naturally filtered water as it emerges from the geologically famous Wenlock Edge, providing refreshing water with a unique blend of minerals and a delicately sweet taste.

Philip Dunne MP said: "I was delighted to visit Wenlock Spring, the largest independent water cooler company in the UK and one of the main water bottling companies in Shropshire. Wenlock Spring water was available earlier this week in Westminster for the Parliamentary tug-of-war teams, so it was particularly timely for me to visit the factory today. I was very impressed by the scale and efficiency of the company's business, which has grown rapidly since the family diversified its farming operations into bottling water in 1989. The business now directly employs 30 people in Shropshire supporting its water cooler business nationwide and increasingly developing the Wenlock Spring brand of bottled water."

Mathew Orme, Managing Director of Wenlock Spring said: "Water coolers, and other forms of water provision by BWCA member companies, provide a fantastic resource to help people drink water more consistently, by making it more accessible, hygienic and refreshing.

"During a time when workplace cuts are becoming more and more commonplace, we want to send out a clear message that drinking water at work is good for productivity - and a cost-effective way of retaining employees by keeping workers healthy and happy. It is also a critical component of a wider campaign to improve the general health of the UK population and tackle ongoing health issues such as heart disease and obesity."

The Stay Cooler! campaign is highlighting research which shows that it is medically proven that consistent hydration for UK adults can help to improve workplace concentration, reduce headaches, prevent feelings of tiredness, anxiety and irritability - and help prevent many of the minor complications that can lead to lost productivity and absence from work."

Just two per-cent loss of body water can result in 10% drop in physical and mental performance. The Food Standards Agency recommend that we drink six to eight glasses of water every day.

John Dundon, Chairman of the BWCA added: "The message of the BWCA campaign is "Keep water coolers in the workplace!".

"While it might be tempting to look at cutting water cooler provision during tough economic times, the long-term benefits to workplace productivity and wellbeing far outweigh any cost savings in the shorter term."

"The campaign will show how BWCA members are playing a key role in water provision, pursuing technological advances in sanitisation and water quality whilst developing a thriving business that is both customer focused and environmentally sustainable."

As well as targeting the decision makers, the Stay Cooler! campaign is also using innovative social networking and media techniques to harness consumer awareness of water provision, and empowering consumers them to join the campaign. This includes setting up a Facebook page to drive discussion and debate about water provision in the workplace.

For more information on the Stay Cooler! campaign, visit: www.facebook.com/StayCooler or www.bwca.org.uk

END

National PR Campaign Management:
Issued on behalf of the BWCA by Weber Shandwick. For more information, contact Richard Bright on 07770 886 914 / rbright@webershandwick.com

Countrywise is the region's leading supplier of plumbed-in and bottled water coolers across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and has been operating for 20 years. Alan Johnson MP's visit is part of a UK-wide campaign to raise general awareness of the importance of regularly drinking water in the workplace.

Diane Stow, Managing Director commented: 'During a time when workplace cuts are becoming more and more commonplace, we want to send out a clear message that drinking water is good for productivity and a cost effective way of keeping employees healthy and happy in their workplace.'

Alan Johnson MP added: 'Countrywise Water Coolers is a successful company in my constituency. Raising awareness of the importance of regularly drinking water in the work place will not only improve employment prospects in Hull, it will also improve occupational health across the country.'

1 July 2011

The management team of Angel Springs has secured the backing of Lloyds Development Capital (LDC) for its next phase of growth.

Despite the difficult economic environment, Angel has prospered in recent years, and this new partnership will ensure the company's successful strategy of strong organic growth complimented by strategic acquisitions.
Since the formation of the company from three regional businesses in 2003, backed by 3i, Angel has doubled in size and has recently acquired Aquae Sulis in the Midlands and opened new distribution centres on the South Coast and in the South East. Angel now employ in excess of 180 staff across 9 locations nationally.

Managing Director, John Dundon, commented, "This deal allows us to reinforce our position, focussing on outstanding local service from our national network. We will continue to grow the business profitably by investing in technology and improved efficiencies plus, larger regional sales teams and strategic acquisitions".

Wolverhampton-based Angel Springs has completed the acquisition of the entire water cooler base of Water at Work (Hertford).

Established in 2005, Hertfordshire-based Water at Work (Hertford) is a family owned business and has the majority of its mains fed and bottled water coolers located within London and the northern Home Counties. The acquisition provides a good strategic fit with Angel Spring's existing Chiltern distribution centre which is located in Tring in Hertfordshire, and will enable further increased customer density and service distribution efficiencies.

Angel Springs supplies and services more than 45,000 bottled water coolers and mains-fed water coolers, to approximately 30,000 customers across the UK. The business has more than doubled in size since it was established in 2003, following a strategic mix of acquisitions, organic and geographic growth, having recently opened additional depots in Kent and Dorset to service growing customer bases in the South East and the South Coast.

This deal represents the third acquisition to be completed by Angel Springs in 2011, following on from Aquae Sulis in March and most recently, the acquisition of a 50 per cent stake in the Fillongley Spring Water bottling plant in August.

BWCA Members, Fonthill Waters are pleased to announce that they have recently signed a license agreement to market products under the POWWOW brand name.

These products will include a range of coolers and accessories as well as water in their 15 litre "one trip" bottle. Sales will be driven from the website www.powwow.com

For further information please contact Simon Hardy on 01760 727000 or via email at enquiries@powwow.com

Getting the best from your water cooler

The BWCA have over past months been working with Consumer Focus Scotland who have launched a new poster providing advice to industry and consumers in Scotland on using water coolers safely.

Sarah O'Neill, Head of Policy at Consumer Focus Scotland, said:

'Our 2009 research into water cooler hygiene found that around one in four were failing to meet one or more safety and hygiene standards.

'When that research was published we identified that awareness of this issue needs to increase, not only to encourage those responsible for water coolers on their premises to ensure they are cleaned and maintained regularly, but also to help people to use them in such a way that they don't contaminate them for the next person.

'We hope that this poster, which provides clear and easy to follow information and advice for those who install and use water coolers, will assist them to do so more safely and hygienically.'

John Dundon, Chairman of the British Water Cooler Association, added:

'BWCA and its members are committed to safe and healthy hydration of the UK workforce.

'All Members are undergo 3rd party industry audits to a high standard and we are confident that the Consumer Focus Scotland poster is an excellent step forward to ensure water coolers are used safely and hygienically.'


Ends

Notes to editors

1. 'Getting the best from your water cooler' can be downloaded and displayed close to where water coolers are located.

2. Consumer Focus Scotland is rooted in over 30 years of work promoting the interests of consumers, particularly those who experience disadvantage in society. We work for consumers in all aspects of their lives: as tenants, householders, patients, parents, solicitors' clients, postal service users, energy consumers and shoppers.

The British Water Cooler Association (BWCA) has commissioned global public relations agency Weber Shandwick to deliver a hard-hitting campaign geared to highlighting the importance of water coolers in UK-wide workplaces.

The campaign will target a wide range of stakeholders - including politicians, media, employer groups and trade unions - in an effort to raise the profile of water coolers and the benefits of hydration in the workplace.

This comes at a critical time for the water cooler industry as revenue cuts are continuing to have a negative impact on contracts - especially in the public sector.

John Dundon, Chair of the BWCA, said: "This will be a high-impact campaign reminding key audiences that water coolers are an essential and cost-effective component of a healthy, productive and stimulated working environment.

"We are assembling a wide range of information showing how important regular hydration is for everybody, and how relevant it is in producing a more effective workforce - and in tackling many of today's health related issues."

The BWCA campaign will be launched in May. For more information, contact Richard Bright, Director at Weber Shandwick on 07770 886914 or 0131 556 6649. rbright@webershandwick.com

Countrywise Water Coolers, based in Hull, has expanded its cooler base to over 5000 units by acquiring Lincoln Vending and Chilburne Spring.

Celebrating 20 years in business, it is a family owned organisation that was first established in 1991 from the family home and has grown its customer base and employment into the region's leading supplier.

A proud Member of the BWCA, Countrywise plans to pass on its knowledge and expertise to the client base at Chilburne Spring and Lincoln Vending.

Diane Stow, Managing Director of Countrywise said 'we look forward to working with customers to make sure we continue to provide excellent customer service.'

For more information contact Rebecca Stow, Countrywise Water Coolers Tel: 01482 358 923 rebecca@countrywise.net

Wednesday 7 December 2011

Thursday 29 March 2012