SUSSEX coffee shops helped raise more than £55,000 for charity by taking part in UK Coffee Week.
For one week every year coffee shops, restaurants, roasters and their customers come together to celebrate all things coffee while raising funds for Project Waterfall - a charity working to end the water crisis in coffee-growing communities across the world.
The celebration saw hundreds of coffee shops from across the country take part in various activities from donating from every cup or bag of coffee sold, "to the more creative" holding competitions like guess how many beans in the jar and hosting coffee tasting events.
Among the Sussex coffee shops that took part during the week in October was Bean Smitten in Flimwell.
Darren Tickner founder of Bean Smitten Coffee Roasters said: "We raised funds for Project Waterfall by donating 10 per cent of every online sale of our 3 Star award winning classic blend, during UK Coffee Week.
"We like to get involved with UK Coffee Week every year, to raise funds for Project Waterfall.
"Providing clean water for coffee producing communities is so important for our industry. Without them, we wouldn't be here"
A number of other venues across took part, enabling them to give something back to the wider coffee community. These included:
- Home Ground Kitchen/Good Grind Coffee, Hastings
- The Gardeners Retreat Café, Haywards Heath
- Refresh, Littlehampton
- Mojo Coffee, Brighton
- Tom Foolery Coffee Company, Shoreham
- Goat Coffee Company, Chichester
- Tommy's Pizzeria, St Leonards
Project Waterfall works tirelessly with delivery partners such as WaterAid to end the water crisis.
In the 10 years since it was founded, more than £800,000 has been raised during UK Coffee Week for Project Waterfall, helping fund 13 projects across Ethiopia, Kenya, Nicaragua, Tanzania, and Uganda, changing more than 45,000 lives.
Head of UK Coffee Week Emily Taiano said: "We are delighted with the fundraising efforts of everybody involved. So far £55,000 has been raised during this year's UK Coffee Week to support Project Waterfall and the donations are still coming in.
"Every penny raised will be used to bring clean water, sanitation and education to coffee growing communities throughout the world.
"Thank you to each and every business that got involved, enabling Project Waterfall to continue its vital work."
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