Edward John Spice, known to all as Ed or Eddy, was born in 1916.
Ed was always big hearted: when he was a young school boy he gave his winter coat to a classmate he thought needed it more. He spent his later years helping the elderly community in Ilford, Essex, for example, repairing their fences.
Now, Ed has started a life-changing impact for people he’ll never meet.
Ed died in 2001 and in his will, after his family were cared for, he wanted to residue of his estate to do some good in the world – which is how Village Water became one of the first to benefit from the E J Spice Charitable Trust.
In recent months we’ve had the pleasure of learning more about him.
In his family’s words,
Ed was always grateful for his own success, felt unworthy of it, and always wanted to use it to help others. He would not pass anyone in need without doing what he could to help them, no matter how inconvenient for himself.
We’re proud to be able to fulfil Ed’s lifelong practice of generosity through our projects. A grant of £100,000 from the Trust set up in his memory, is helping us kick-start an amazing new development strategy that will impact families for generations.
Together with our local partners, councils, companies, supply chains and enterprise we have adopted a new District Wide approach, working towards 100% water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) coverage by 2030.
The first District Wide Plan is based In Nalolo District with a population of around 87,800. The initial surveys have all been completed, identifying all existing water services in the district alongside the local structures which contribute to all things WASH. We are now assessing the gaps in services to help target the best support and investment.
It’s an ambitious and exciting new path for everyone involved, but it is absolutely necessary to really understand the issues facing communities in Nalolo and to ensure no one gets left behind with access to safe water. The plan is almost complete, and awaiting approval by all acting partners, and we have begun to support activities identified in the plan. Our aim is to repeat the District Wide approach across our other project areas, in new countries, and shared with other WASH organisations, to avoid duplication.

We’re very excited to keep you and Ed’s family updated with exactly where his generous gift will help most – from new water points, to water quality testing and hygiene education in schools – it will all make such a difference. From the people we’ve met over the last 18 years, we can already begin to imagine how lives will change.
Our children no longer have to miss out on classes to fetch water. This is a step in the right direction for their futures. A guaranteed water supply is good for the entire community.