SHOPPERS in Chippenham town centre were asked to skip a drink and donate £3 to send the life-giving gift of water to African communities.

Volunteers from Chippenham-based charity WellBoring collected several hundred pounds from passers-by to help celebrate World Water Day at the end of March.

“When people understand that they can actually make a difference, they are more likely to give something,” Nigel Linacre, the founder said. “Doing this is a fabulous privilege as it is fantastic to be able to support change.

“People in Chippenham have really got to know us over the last couple of years and we are always well supported in the town whenever we go out.”

WellBoring has already helped 42 African schools, close to the population size of Chippenham, with access to sustainable supplies of clean water by digging boreholes.

Each well costs just £3,500 and benefits around 1,000 people.

“We have statistics from some schools which show that access to clean water have boosted attendance by 100 pupils each day,” Mr Linacre added.

“The big thing I want people to know is that this is a problem that can be fixed, but we need your help to do that.”

The charity hope to reach 100 schools by the end of 2020, and are aiming to allow 100,000 people, or one per cent of Kenya’s population, to have access to clean water by that date.