The economic recession certainly doesn’t appear to have affected Britain’s coffee shops, which are continuing to expand at a rate of knots. From small independent cafes to the big names like Starbucks, Costa, Pret a Manger and Cafe Nero, they’re breeding like rabbits! It seems we Brits can’t get enough espressos, lattes, macchiatos, cappuccinos, americanos or even the plain old instant stuff out of a jar. So it’s no surprise that, according to statistics, the UK coffee sector has grown by 6% in the past 12 months alone, representing an estimated sales value of £5.4 billion.
What better time, then, to capitalise on this craving for caffeine and draw attention to the plight of the hardworking people harvesting the beans? Whilst we think nothing of turning on the tap and sticking the kettle on for a brew, almost half the population of Tanzania (46%) don’t have access to a clean source of water. In the past year approximately 20,000 children from the area died because the water they drank was unsafe and they were living in insanitary conditions.
This week (18 – 24 October 2021) is UK Coffee Week (www.ukcoffeeweek.com ). Dubbed “The Nation’s biggest celebration of coffee” it is being supported by thousands of companies, not just the well-known coffee chains, but also smaller cafes, canteens and workplaces. The aim of the campaign is to raise money for Project Waterfall, a charitable initiative delivering clean water projects in African coffee-producing countries, such as Tanzania. Customers at participating outlets selling coffee are being encouraged to add a voluntary 5 pence to the cost of their purchase – the equivalent of providing clean water to one person for a single day. Workplaces providing coffee are asking employees to make a donation every time they have a cuppa.
It’s great cause, so let’s support it! If we can afford upwards of £2 for a coffee, we can certainly afford an extra five pence.