Thomson Airways funds Thirsty Planet

Released on: May 17, 2011, 4:11 pm
Author: TUI
Industry: Travel

Thomson Airways has announced that in just three years, sales of 'Thirsty Planet' bottled water have raised over £142,000 towards Pump Aid, the charity that aims to provide clean water for underprivileged communities. In this time Pump Aid has built over 4,000 Elephant Pumps, bringing water supplies to at least an estimated 350,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Thomson Airways first started working with 'Thirsty Planet' in November 2007 and have since sold millions of bottles of their water. For every bottle of 'Thirsty Planet' water sold onboard, five pence is donated directly to Pump Aid. This money is used to help people living in some of the poorest communities in Africa to gain access to clean water, funding the digging of wells and the installation of easy-to-maintain water pumps in more than 200 villages in Zimbabwe and Malawi.

Carl Gissing, Director of Customer Services for Thomson Airways said: "We’d like to thank all of our customers who have contributed to this extremely worthy cause. This incredible achievement is only possible because of their generosity. Hopefully, initiatives like World Water Day will draw attention to the work of charities like 'Thirsty Planet' and mean that even more people can be helped."

Working with Thirsty Planet is just one of the many partnerships that TUI UK undertakes as a part of a broader sustainable tourism strategy. As, well as working with hotels to save water by asking them all to sign up to minimum sustainability standards, the company also works closely with 'Just a Drop', a charity that works on sustainable water and sanitation projects worldwide, agreeing last year to a partnership involving a pledge of £100,000.

About Pump Aid:
Pump Aid was founded by three teachers, Ian Thorpe, Amos Chitungo and Tendai Mawunga who were living and working in rural Zimbabwe. After witnessing so many of their pupils and friends become ill and die from unsafe drinking water, the teachers took it upon themselves to find sustainable water solutions and better sanitation provisions for their local communities.

About Thomson Airways:
Thomson Airways is part of the TUI Travel PLC Group of companies - the UK's leading leisure travel company. Thomson specialises in sunshine holidays, package holidays and late holiday deals. It is also committed to sustainable tourism, as evidenced by its 'holidays forever' ethos.

Customers expect the travel companies they deal with to have the highest standards of business practice and accountability. First Choice is registered with the Association of British Travel Agent (ABTA), fully bonded by the Civil Aviation Authority under Air Travel Organisers' Licence (ATOL) and part of the Federation of Tour Operators.

PR contact:
Grace Jones
TUI UK Ltd,
Wigmore House
Wigmore Lane
Luton
LU2 9TN
01582 648725
www.thomson.co.uk

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