Ref. 28603-44A THAMES Water employee is going to Malawi to find out how his fundraising is helping people get access to clean drinking water.

Steve Pagett, from Wroughton, leaves tomorrow for the impoverished African country with the charity WaterAid.

The 33-year-old customer care worker, who is based at Kembrey Park in Swindon, will be spending a day with a family in Salima, where people have to live without safe drinking water or basic sanitation facilities.

He will also visit villages and see WaterAid's project work in action in the country's capital, Lilongwe, as well as helping to dig some wells.

Last year Thames Water employees and customers raised more than £100,000 for WaterAid.

Steve and other employees took part in Challenge 8,000 event with members of Swindon's mountaineering club and scaled 9,000 metres on a climbing wall at the Link Centre in November the equivalent of ascending Faichan Kangri, a mountain in Pakistan.

"It is shocking that many people are still without water and basic sanitation," said Steve, who believes Western governments should direct more of their overseas aid budgets towards water provision.

On his return on January 29, he is to meet Prince Charles, WaterAid's president, at Clarence House in London.

He is then planning to give a series of talks about his trip to inform people about what is going on and what they can do to help.

WaterAid was set up to help people escape poverty and disease caused by living without clean water. It works with local organisations in 15 countries in Africa and Asia to help poor communities establish water supplies and latrines close to home.

WaterAid also seeks to influence governments' water and sanitation policies to serve the interests of vulnerable people.

l The charity wants schools to get involved in its new appeal, Buckets of Pennies for Buckets of Water.

For an information pack teachers can call 020 7793 4563.

Andy Tate