I felt that this industry would be a good one when I joined it just over two years ago and this initial confidence has been backed up time and time again by some of the initiatives taken by its players, to improve people's lives and wellbeing and help preserve our environment.

This feeling was underlined today when I learned that kbb London is to be the launch platform for a fundraising initiative hoping to raise £20,000 to help WaterAid in its work to improve access to safe water, hygiene, and sanitation in some of the world's poorest communities.

The campaign will be officially launched at kbb London in May and run through to kbb Birmingham in March 2012.

"Given that kbb London will be full of companies providing goods and services for kitchen and bathroom contracts where the supply of water is a core requirement, it seemed natural that we should launch our campaign to help WaterAid in its important work at the show," says kbb London Brand Director Andrew Vaughan.

"We have pledged to raise £20,000 for WaterAid by kbb Birmingham in March 2012, but we cannot do it on our own! We are calling on the KBB Industry as a whole to support the kbb WaterAid initiative and will shortly be announcing a number of fund raising events we hope the sector will get behind with us.

"It is amazing what a huge difference that even a small amount of money can make. As little as £15 can enable a person to have access to safe water, improved hygiene and sanitation, so just imagine how much good WaterAid can do with the money they will receive when we hit our target!"

If you're not familiar with WaterAid (www.wateraid.org), it is an international charity working in 26 countries across Africa, Asia and the Pacific region to transform the lives of some of the world's poorest people by improving access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene. Over the past 30 years, it has reached 14.38 million people with safe water and - since 2004 - 9.4 million people with sanitation.

Despite the inroads made, at least 4,000 children die every day as a result of diseases caused by unclean water and poor sanitation and 884 million people still do not have access to safe water. This is roughly one in eight of the world's population. Some 2.6 billion people in the world do not have access to adequate sanitation. This is almost two fifths of the world's population.

As we covet the latest dishwasher, washing machine or hi-tech bathroom as they're launched, we should perhaps take time out to consider those who cannot enjoy the one commodity that these goods need, to be able to run - water.

I do hope (but don't doubt) that this industry will work together to support kbb's fantastic initiative and help it exceed its goal.