I would like to thank the Southern Water customers who gave so generously to our WaterAid appeal, launched in February last year, which raised a staggering £200,000 - a fantastic effort.

Money raised from the 2002 appeal has helped communities throughout Africa and Asia to improve their own water supplies through low-cost self-help schemes using simple and practical technologies.

The average cost per person of supplying a safe village water supply combined with sanitation and hygiene education is less that £15 so the £200,000 raised will be of tremendous help.

I am sure we can look forward to donations during our forthcoming appeal which, if it is as successful as last year's, will really make a difference to the lives of those less fortunate than ourselves.

-Neil Duncanson, Chairman, Southern Region WaterAid Group