Intrepid explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes helped a water company to raise £30,500 from two charity events during February.

An Exclusive Evening with Sir Ranulph Fiennes was organised in association with Essex and Suffolk Water, ESH Construction and MJK Sportsevents and staged in London contributing.

The money raised will support WaterAid in its work to transform the lives of the world’s poorest and most marginalised people through improved access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene.

Essex & Suffolk Water’s chief executive, Heidi Mottram OBE introduced Sir Ranulph on stage at the London event and she said: “It was a fascinating evening to hear the experiences of one of the World’s Greatest Living Explorers and to learn about what motivates Sir Ranulph.”

Heidi visited Malawi during 2015 to see WaterAid’s work, and reflecting on her time in Africa she said: “I visited Malawi with WaterAid, so I can tell you that this is an amazing charity, with great people who are making a difference to the lives of so many.

“It's inspirational to see how something we take for granted, gives health and access to education - particularly for girls and women, who often collect the bulk of water travelling long distances to collect supplies, preventing them from attending school.

“A close source of fresh, safe drinking water can allow people to take control of their lives and make a better future for themselves and their families."

The second evening staged in Durham by Northumbrian Water Group helped take the combined total to £30,500.

The only man alive ever to have circumnavigated the Earth along its polar axis, Sir Ranulph helped raise money for the international charity WaterAid at the exclusive event at the Grand Connaught Rooms, London.

Having conquered the Antarctic, Arctic, the Nile and multiple marathon challenges, Sir Ranulph was described by The Guinness Book of Records as “the world’s greatest living explorer” in 1984 and has since broken many more records and led numerous further expeditions to remote regions.

Andrew Blakemore, chairman of the WaterAid Committee at Essex and Suffolk Water, said: “It was a fantastic set of events and we’ve raised a massive total to support the work of WaterAid, I’d like to thank Sir Ranulph Fiennes for agreeing to talk about his life and adventures.

“Just like Sir Ranulph, WaterAid doesn’t shirk from harsh environments in its efforts to make a real difference in the world, improving the lives of people who need it the most, because they don’t have access to basic sanitation and hygiene."