Water Smart Foundation
Trustees' Annual Report and Accounts
Financial Period: 01/08/2024 – 31/07/2025
1. Aims and Objectives
During the period covered by this report, the Water Smart Foundation continued to build on its established identity and partnerships, shifting its focus towards advocacy and public awareness. Rather than fundraising or grant activity, the Foundation concentrated on embedding its voice within relevant industry conversations, most notably through the hospitality sector, as a means of driving systemic change around plastic reduction and water stewardship.
Our mission remains to highlight the critical issues of marine litter, microplastics, and the broader environmental crises, including water scarcity driven by climate change. The Foundation's overarching goal is to increase public consciousness regarding these urgent challenges, which threaten wildlife, ecosystems, and the common good.
The Water Smart Foundation is committed to achieving the following objectives:
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Enhancing access to clean drinking water for public benefit
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Addressing environmental challenges posed by single-use plastic bottles by reducing their necessity
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Providing donations to water charities working on the ground and in oceans
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Collaborating with water charities to offer expertise, funding, and the installation of water fountains
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Installing water fountains in state schools
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Developing educational programmes focused on the SMART use of water, including topics such as water scarcity, waste management, and sanitation
The trustees have continued to actively discuss strategies to leverage their networks and skills to realise these goals.
2. Objectives and Activities
The core objective of our work is to advance public health and environmental protection globally by:
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Reducing the use of plastic bottles for water storage and distribution
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Lowering the carbon footprint associated with the manufacture and transportation of plastic bottles
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Minimising plastic waste in landfills and oceans, thus protecting marine life from pollution
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Expanding reach into the hospitality sector through direct engagement and public speaking
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Maintaining and deepening the Foundation's partnership with World Vision
Partnership with World Vision
The Foundation's strategic partnership with World Vision, the global humanitarian organisation dedicated to working with children, families, and communities to overcome poverty and injustice, has continued throughout this period. The partnership focuses on
charitable initiatives and fundraising activities, and on leveraging Water Smart's water technology expertise to support World Vision's projects on the ground.
3. Achievements and Performance
Key Achievements
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Empty Glass Initiative: Formally launched the Empty Glass Initiative, a campaign targeting the UK hospitality sector to reduce single-use plastic water bottles and promote clean tap water access in restaurants and venues
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Chef's Awards Engagement: CEO Sophie Edmonds began speaking at the Chef's Awards, bringing the Foundation's advocacy directly into professional culinary networks and opening new channels for industry-wide behaviour change
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Advocacy Positioning: The Foundation continued its shift towards an advocacy-led model, building influence within the hospitality industry as a long-term driver of plastic reduction at scale
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Social Media Presence: Maintained and developed the Foundation's presence across social media channels to support awareness and campaign visibility
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World Vision Partnership: Continued to develop the charitable collaboration with World Vision, identifying further opportunities to deploy water technology solutions in crisis zones
4. Volunteers
Sophie Edmonds, the CEO, continues to serve on a voluntary basis. Our ambassadors likewise volunteer their time and networks to raise awareness for the Foundation's mission.
5. Structure, Governance, and Management
The Water Smart Foundation is managed by its trustees and CEO, Sophie Edmonds. Decision-making remains open, transparent, and democratic. The Foundation maintains a Conflict of Interest Policy to ensure the integrity of its decision-making processes and the confidence of its stakeholders.
The Foundation has established a protocol for assessing funding applications and allocating resources to partner charities, based on the following criteria:
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Community engagement
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Non-reliance on fossil fuels
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Strength of management
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Sustainability
As the Foundation continues in its early fundraising stages, it does not currently have funds available to hire staff.
6. Administrative Information
Registered Address: The Sail Loft, 81a Endell Street, London WC2H 9DX
Trustees:
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Clare Munn
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Anna Zucchi
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Ksenia Tarasenko
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Dodo Cunningham-Reid
Financial Period: 01/08/2024 to 31/07/2025
The trustees have determined that neither an audit nor an independent examination is required for this period under Section 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993.
7. Future Plans and Strategies
Objectives for 2025–2026
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Continue to develop the Empty Glass Initiative across the UK hospitality sector, with a focus on restaurant and venue partnerships
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Deepen engagement with the culinary and food service industry through the Chef's Awards and related platforms
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Launch a restaurant donation model to raise funds for clean water projects globally
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Continue to work towards a water system installation in a partner community in Kenya
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Collaborate with Clean Seas on a joint education project
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Expand the schools fountain programme
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Continue to work on a major NGO partnership to extend reach into crisis and conflict zones
Section A: Receipts and Payments
For the period 01/08/2024 to 31/07/2025
A1 Receipts: Nil
A2 Asset and investment sales: Nil
Total receipts: £0
A3 Payments: Nil
A4 Asset and investment purchases: Nil
Total payments: £0
Net of receipts/(payments): £0
Section B: Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 31/07/2025
B1 Cash funds:
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Restricted funds: £543
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Unrestricted funds: Nil
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Endowment funds: Nil
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Total cash funds: £543
B2 Other monetary assets: Nil
B3 Investment assets: Nil
B4 Assets retained for the charity's own use: Nil B5 Liabilities: Nil
Trustee Signatures
Signed by two trustees on behalf of all trustees:
Signature: ____ Print Name: Anna Zucchi Date of approval: 31/05/2026 Signature: ____ Print Name: Clare Munn
Date of approval: 31/05/2026