Sponsorship floods in for MWH's WaterAid runners

Runners from global environmental engineering company MWH have seen sponsorship flood in, as they aim to raise £2,500 for WaterAid, by completing the BUPA Great Manchester Run, on May 20.

A team of 37 staff, accompanied by four equally dedicated partners, will line up at the start of the 10km run, all with the ambition to complete the race and secure their sponsorship money, which will be used to help provide water and sanitation to people in developing countries.

Two of MWH's WaterAid representatives, Tim Prosser and Moulay Drissi from MWH organised the company's runners and helped keep them motivated during their training. Tim is confident all of the runners will make it to the finish. He explains, "Knowing every step you take is going to help improve the life of someone you'll never meet is great motivation. MWH has donated £28 to each runner - matching their entry fee - and provided running vests. Friends, family and colleagues have generously sponsored us too. We're hoping to raise £2,500.

"All of MWH's team are experts in water and waste water management, so have a special affinity with WaterAid, the UK's only major charity dedicated exclusively to the provision of safe domestic water, sanitation and hygiene education to the world's poorest people.

"It costs just £15 to provide a person with safe water, sanitation and hygiene education for life, so we know the money we raise will make a real difference. We hope to raise a little bit more by having a sweepstake to pick out which one of our team will cross the line first. Not that it matters - first or last, WaterAid will be the winner in our race."

If anyone would like add their support and sponsor the MWH runners please go to http://www.justgiving.com/RunToMWH

MWH is a global leader in water and environmental engineering. With a staff of 6,000 worldwide, it provides industry-leading, knowledge-driven services to government agencies, utility companies and multinational organisations in more than 36 countries. It is one of the world's foremost experts on power, water and wastewater issues. MWH has worked in the UK for 160 years and has designed, built and managed many of the largest, most innovative and technologically advanced projects around the world.

More information on MWH is available from mwhuk.info@mwhglobal.com or by visiting www.mwhglobal.com

· For more information about WaterAid please contact:

Lisa Martin on 020 7793 4524 or lisamartin@wateraid.org

Kate Watson on 020 7793 4793 or katewatson@wateraid.org

· Please see this link for more info: http://www.wateraid.org/uk/what_we_do/where_we_work/india/

Key Facts:

· Water is a basic human need and right, yet over 1.1 billion people lack access to safe water.

· Twice as many, 2.6 billion - over 40 percent of the world's population - lack a safe and clean place to go to the toilet.

· 443 million school days are lost each year due to water-related diseases.

· Water-related diseases are the second biggest killer of children worldwide.

· WaterAid provides practical, sustainable solutions, made more effective through local and international collaborations, and advocates policies that combat disease, advance education, and reduce poverty in some of the poorest, most vulnerable communities in the world.

· Partnering with more than 300 local organisations, WaterAid has helped nearly 10 million people access safe, clean water.

· In 2006-07, WaterAid will cap a quarter-century of achievement by delivering water to 1 million people and sanitation to another 1.5 million people.