A Gloucester-based water firm has created five new work opportunities for young people as part of a Government initiative.

The WCD Group said the kickstarters would join the firm in May as part of the Kickstart Scheme.

The firm was founded in 2003 and has become the largest independent hydration business in the UK.

The group employs around 50 people, many of whom are based at their headquarters at Gloucester Business Park. The field-based team form a UK-wide engineering and division overseeing installations and maintenance.

It is run by Freddie Cairns Palmer, chief executive officer and former Gloucester rugby player, managing director Pete Glanville, and finance director Christopher Way.

The firm's sub brands include watercoolersdirect.com, waterboilersdirect.com and Kettle Taps.com.

Mr Cairns Palmer said: "Our mission is to deliver innovative hydration solutions with sustainable, green credentials for refill, minimising plastics and waste, that help businesses and homeowners provide their teams and families with hot and cold, chilled, filtered and sparkling water, to stay hydrated, healthy and enjoy wellbeing.

"Refill stations are a vital step towards a more sustainable and environmentally conscious way of drinking, and a positive way to reduce the amount of plastic waste generated from bottles, as well as reducing the carbon footprint from bottle mass production and transportation, " he said.

They aim to bring new contactless, hands-free products to market in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak.

They have also launched new sustainable partnerships with Gloucester Rugby and Forest Green Rovers providing high capacity, plumbed in refill water dispensers for sports bottle refill.