Glastonbury performers and other music stars including Ringo Starr, FOALS, The Waterboys, KT Tunstall, Wet Leg and Scouting for Girls, as well as legendary designer Dame Zandra Rhodes have created special limited-edition postcards for this summer’s festivals on behalf of the charity WaterAid.
Officially launching at Glastonbury, the postcards feature designs that celebrate the power of water and highlight the importance of protecting our planet and people everywhere as part of WaterAid’s Climate Fight campaign.
Festival-goers can pick up an exclusive postcard and send one to the Prime Minister calling for the government to take urgent action to tackle the climate crisis, and send another to themselves as a reminder of how they can play their part in building a fairer world.
Across the world, one in ten people do not have clean water while one in five lack a decent toilet. The climate crisis is making life harder for those already struggling to access these essentials, with extreme weather like floods and slow-onset events like rising sea levels destroying facilities and contaminating unprotected water sources, while droughts dry up springs and wells.
Through Our Climate Fight, the UK public can support WaterAid’s call on the UK Government to lead the way in ensuring those on the frontlines of climate change have clean water, toilets and hygiene whatever the weather, by investing at least one third of their committed international climate budget in local projects that bring these essentials to the most vulnerable.
Beatles drummer and long term WaterAid supporter Ringo Starr designed a postcard showing him at a tap that’s run dry. He said:
“We all share one world, and we need to come together to protect it, and each other, as we face the threat of climate change. I have long supported WaterAid and believe that it is a basic right that every human being should have access to clean water. I’ve designed a special postcard for this summer’s festivals, so people can join me in supporting this campaign for everyone to have clean water. Together we can create change. Peace and love. Ringo”
Dame Zandra Rhodes drew Mother Nature as part of her design, saying:
“I’m supporting WaterAid’s Climate Fight campaign because I believe everyone everywhere should have clean water, whatever the weather. With clean water, women don’t have to spend hours each day walking to rivers or springs, children can stay healthy and go to school, and communities can build resilience to the effects of climate change. Together, we can make change happen.”
KT Tunstall featured water-themed lyrics on her postcard, saying:
“It’s unacceptable that one in ten people have no clean water, and that these are the same people who are living on the frontline of the climate crisis. Water is so key to life, a lot of lyrics in my songs centre around it. My postcard design in support of WaterAid’s climate campaign features every lyric I’ve been inspired to write about water. With clean water, communities can stay healthy now and in the future.”
Rock band The Waterboys, who will be playing on the Acoustic Stage, drew a pair of hands scooping up water. Mike Scott said:
“It’s hard to imagine not having clean water on tap, but this is the reality for millions around the world. We are supporting WaterAid’s Climate Fight to call for everyone to have the basics of clean water and decent toilets, so they are better able to cope with the effects of the climate crisis. You too can get involved and help make change happen; our future is in our hands.”
FOALS, who will headline on the Other Stage, created a postcard with the words ‘The future is not what is used to be’ from their song ‘Black Gold’. Lead singer and guitarist Yannis Philippakis said:
“Climate change is already having a terrible impact across the planet, especially for the world’s poorest people. That’s why we’re supporting WaterAid and joining Our Climate Fight. Together, we can help save lives and make the world a brighter place.”
Roy Stride from Scouting for Girls, whose design featured the Earth surrounded by their lyrics ‘She’s so lovely’, said:
“We live on a beautiful planet with water everywhere, but one in ten people have no clean drinking water close to home. Together we can help tackle this injustice and ensure that, even as we face the effects of climate change, everyone has access to their basic needs. So, pick up a postcard and make sure your voice is heard.”
See the postcards and join our Climate Fight at wateraid.org/uk/postcards.
