The essential swimwear for 2009

WaterAid and H&M launch new swimwear range for summer

Leading fashion retailers H&M have, for the first time ever, produced a full collection of swimwear to be sold on behalf of international charity WaterAid.

Although this is the eighth year running that H&M will be raising money for WaterAid, it is the first time that the WaterAid collection will include swimwear for children and men, in addition to their usual bikini.

Always a popular range, 10% from sales will go directly to the charity which aims to save lives through giving access to one of our simplest needs - water.

This year's eye-catching floral fusion bikini for women comes in two vibrant colour ranges and has a RRP of £9.99 (top) and £6.99 (bottoms). The collection also includes tropical Hawaiian-style swimwear for boys (£9.99) and girls' bikini (£7.99). The five classic colourways of men's shorts are available from H&M priced £14.99.

WaterAid's Caroline Whatley says: "One in eight people in the world do not have access to safe water and every day 4000 children die from water-related diseases. With every H&M WaterAid swimwear purchase, customers are really helping us to reach out to these people, enabling them to access safe water, sanitation and hygiene education. Look great on the beach and help a fantastic cause!"

Since the beginning of the collaboration in 2002, H&M has raised over £1million for WaterAid through its special swimsuit designs. In 2008 alone, H&M raised £216,202. The primary focus area for the funds is Bangladesh, supporting WaterAid's work in the slums of Dhaka and Chittagong to improve hygiene awareness and access to water and sanitation. Monies will also help communities in Madagascar and Tanzania.

Altogether, the projects which H&M are supporting will provide more than 75,000 people with safe water, 50,000 with sanitation facilities and more than 100,000 with hygiene information.

Ingrid Schullström, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at H&M, says: "H&M is very proud to support the charity WaterAid and the life-changing work that it does. Water is fundamentally a women's issue in the developing world, as it is mostly a woman's responsibility to provide water for the family and to care for those who fall ill.

"The partnership means a great deal to us, especially as WaterAid has projects in areas where some of H&M's suppliers are located, and women working in factories producing for us may benefit directly from WaterAid's work."

Note to editors
H&M Swimwear prices:

• Ladies top £9.99, bottoms £6.99


• Mens £14.99


• Boys £9.99


• Girls £7.99 (whole bikini)

About WaterAid:

• At least 4,000 children die every day as a result of diseases caused by unclean water and poor sanitation.


• 884 million people in the world do not have access to safe water. This is roughly one in eight of the world's population.


• 2.5 billion people in the world do not have access to adequate sanitation, this is almost two fifths of the world's population.


• WaterAid projects providing safe water, sanitation and hygiene education cost just £15 per head.
  

For more information contact:
Lisa Martin, WaterAid

t: +44(0)20 7793 4524

m: 07887 521 552

e: lisamartin@wateraid.org

Picture shows: WaterAid H&M bikini, RRP top £9.99/ bottoms £6.99.
Credit: H&M