This January, I’m embarking on what can only be described as a Herculean feat: giving up my beloved Americanos with skimmed milk—the multiple cups that keep me upright and vaguely sociable. And not just coffee—every drink except water. No caffeine, no comforting hot chocolate when the afternoons get bleak. Just good old H₂O.

My colleagues are thrilled: the coffee round will be lighter, and frankly, so will I (once the caffeine withdrawal stops making me hallucinate flat whites and compose sonnets to the hot chocolate machine). One colleague said, ‘Lee without coffee? That’s like a meeting without biscuits!’ Another muttered, ‘Brace yourselves, people.’

I’ll miss my Americano dearly—it’s been my loyal companion through many meetings. We’ve shared moments, triumphs, and the occasional awkward silence. But this is for a cause that matters.

Why? Because while I can turn on a tap without thinking, 1 in 10 people worldwide can’t. For them, clean water isn’t a luxury—it’s survival. Without it, families are forced to drink dirty water, risking deadly diseases like cholera. Entire communities are held back simply because they lack what we take for granted.

So, I’m raising funds for WaterAid to help change that. If you’d like to support me (and keep me strong when the coffee cravings hit), please donate. Your gift will make a real difference. For more about the incredible impact WaterAid has, visit www.wateraid.org/uk.

Together, we can turn the tide. And if you see me looking dazed in January, it’s not enlightenment—it’s caffeine withdrawal. But don’t worry—I’m determined to make a splash. And if I start talking to the office kettle, just smile and nod.