FRANK Water is a small Bristol based team of ethical entrepreneurs, researchers and field workers that funds sustainable clean water projects in developing countries across the world. Since we started in 2005 we have funded 70 village projects.
Award winning young social entrepreneur Katie Alcott founded FRANK Water on a shoe string in 2005. In 1990 Katie travelled to India on a school programme & unfortunately contracted dysentery after drinking dirty water.
Coming back to the UK she realised that by selling ethical bottled water she could use the profits to fund new clean water facilities for villages in need.
FRANK Water is now two distinct entities; FRANK Water Projects, a small registered charity (No. 1121273) that can receive your direct donations, and FRANK Water Products, a not-for-profit social enterprise which continues to give 100% of its profits to the charity.
Your support really matters. In a world where more than 4,000 children die EVERY DAY from a lack of clean drinking water, it’s clear that help is urgently needed.
Please join us and be part of the solution.
The FRANK Water team
Katie Alcott – Founder and Managing Director
Award winning social entrepreneur Katie Alcott created FRANK Water in 2005 after suffering dysentery from drinking dirty water in India. Witnessing the rise of bottled water sales in the UK, she dreamt of the water-for-water concept – creating an ethical bottled water brand that would benefit worldwide clean water projects.
Harmeet Sehambi – Project Manager
With several years experience in managing projects, Harmeet looks after the development of our programmes in India. She liaises with our in-country delivery partners and makes regular visits to our projects to ensure they’re running effectively and are bringing the maximum benefit to the community. For major donors, Harmeet is the person who accompanies them to projects so they can see exactly where their money has been spent. With a lifelong connection to India, Harmeet’s work brings together her knowledge and passion for the country and its people.
Tom Alcott – FRANK Water Trading Team
Tom is part of the original FRANK Water start-up team. Tom is now Managing Director of FRANK Water Trading. Married to the Founder Katie, Tom has visited FRANK Water projects in India twice but is generally found at FRANK Water HQ assisting with operations and strategy.
FRANK Water volunteers
Peter Gibbons – Brand development and graphics
Pete is a graphic designer specialising in visual identity for brands. His creative direction and design experience encompasses the evolution of established consumer brands, re-designs for growing brands, and identity creation for new ventures. Inspired by the idea of FRANK Water and the chance to establish an ethical brand, Pete created our powerful identity which has proven to be a strong and long-lasting asset. A founding member of FRANK Water, a volunteer and previous trustee, Pete also advises on FRANK Water’s visual communication.
Jeremy Webb – Internet Consultancy
Jeremy provides free internet hosting and web development skills to FRANK, and help with the FRANK Digital Strategy, Jeremy was part of the FRANK start up team and visited the very first project in Kothapeta, India.
Stewart Kettle
Stewart is a PhD student at the University of Bristol. He is using his academic experience
in International Development and Development Economics in order to analyse the development work of FRANK Water in India.
Sarika Seshadri
Sarika is a PhD student at the University of Bristol who has been working closely with FRANK Water since 2007. Inspired by the integrity of a small-scale venture, she has been looking at the governance structures of FRANK Water and its partners in India. She also volunteers at the FRANK Water office in the UK, researching new developments in the water sector and liaising with other organisations in the field.
Paul Crossley – Trustee and Chairman
Paul has volunteered for FRANK Water for several years and has known Katie since they were at school. In 2006 he visited India with the FRANK Water team to see the projects for himself, and after seeing first hand what FRANK Water is doing, his passion grew and he became Trustee and then Chairman of FRANK Water Projects. Working in London as a Sustainability Consultant, Paul helps spread the FRANK Water word at charity and work events in the capital.
Matthew Fortnam – Trustee
Matt joined FRANK Water as a Trustee in 2008.He has worked in Kenya with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) looking at the vulnerability of freshwater, and has also carried out water assessments on the Lake Chad Basin in Central Africa.Since then, Matt has worked on several European research projects with the University of Bristol, and more recently, at UNEP-WCMC, he was the lead author of the response options chapter for the UK National Ecosystem Assessment. Founder of Ecojam.org, Bristol’s largest sustainability network.Matt is currently studying for a PhD in how people in developing countries might adapt to the effects of climate change.
Kate Buxton – Trustee
Kate joined FRANK Water as a Trustee in 2010. She manages press and public relations for the BBC across the South of England. Kate has a strong interest in international relations stemming from her previous role at the British Council managing UK communications for their 110 offices overseas. Kate began her career as a researcher in Parliament working for the Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee.
Andrew Webb – Trustee
After being sponsored by Shell at Imperial College to get a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering, Andrew decided he would try his hand at marketing at Proctor and Gamble before he did a second Masters degree in Water and Public Health Engineering. Since then Andrew has worked in the international development sector for most of his career before going to London Business School emerging as a Sloan Fellow in 2001. This was followed with 5 years as Director of Development at International Alert, an international peacebuilding and conflict resolution NGO, before joining the Action for Brazil’s Children Trust in his current role as CEO.
