London, UK. 23rd January, 2018. Actor and WaterAid Ambassador Dougray Scott looks at the 800 schoolbags laid by WaterAid on the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral in a moving tribute to the number of children who die every day from dirty water, never reaching their fifth birthday or first day at school. WaterAid placed 800 children’s schoolbags on the famous steps of St Paul’s Cathedral today as a stark reminder of the number of young children’s lives lost every single day due to dirty water and poor sanitation. Credit: Oliver Dixon/Alamy Live News

• Contributor: Oliver Dixon / Alamy Stock Photo
• Image ID: RERK5J
• File size: 72.7 MB (3.4 MB Compressed download)
• Releases: Model - no | Property - no
• Dimensions: 6173 x 4115 px | 52.3 x 34.8 cm | 20.6 x 13.7 inches | 300dpi
• Date taken: 23 January 2019

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Actor and WaterAid Ambassador Dougray Scott looks at the 800 schoolbags laid by WaterAid on the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral in a moving tribute to the number of children who die every day from dirty water, never reaching their fifth birthday or first day at school. WaterAid placed 800 children’s schoolbags on the famous steps of St Paul’s Cathedral today as a stark reminder of the number of young children’s lives lost every single day due to dirty water and poor sanitation. Each of the Cathedral’s 24 entrance steps represented one hour – and the 33 children younger than five who die every hour – a whole class that never even made it to school, all for the lack of something as basic as clean water. On the bags in the front row were the names of real children whose lives were tragically cut short by diarrhoeal diseases linked to dirty water and poor sanitation, some as young as 9-month-old Arena from Madagascar, and some just about to start school, like from 5-year-old Jennifer from Zambia. Actor Dougray Scott joined WaterAid’s thought-provoking tribute, asking the British public to support to the international charity’s ‘Water Effect’ appeal to help raise £1.5 million to get clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene to more than 20 health centres around the world, helping give children the best start in life. WaterAid Ambassador Dougray Scott, (Mission Impossible II, My Week with Marilyn, The Woman in White) said: “The sea of bags lining the steps of St Paul’s is a stark reminder of the sheer numbers of young children who won’t live long enough to make it to their first day at school because they lack something as basic as clean water. It’s a dreadful thought for any parent; and this tragic waste of life is entirely preventable. “Through my work with WaterAid, I have seen the incredible difference clean water and decent toilets makes, particularly for children. Clean water close to home helps keep children healthy and in s