I was recently asked to try out a new drink from Firefly Tonics called ‘Step Up’. This brand new flavour has been created with the aim of raising £30,000 for Oxford Children’s Hospital.

If you’re not aware of the company, Firefly tonics was founded by Marcus Waley-Cohen whose younger brother Tom battled bone cancer for much of his life. As a result of this he grew strong ties with the Oxford Children’s Hospital. 10p from every bottle of ‘Step Up’ sold will go straight to the charity with the aim being to buy new equipment and services that are not currently funded by the NHS. The Waley-Cohen family (which includes the famous jockey Sam Waley-Cohen) have already raised over £1m to name a ward in Tom’s memory.

The striking design on this Tangerine and Lime flavoured soft drink is called ‘Kids’ and was created by the renowned artist Michael Craig-Martin for the Atrium at Oxford Children’s Hospital.

Taste

So we’ve already firmly established that this little bottle has a very valuable role upon the shelves. But does it taste any good? As mentioned the soft drink is Tangerine and Lime flavoured, with a blend of fruit juices and botanical extracts like Green Tea and Kola for a natural lift. I’ll admit that I was expecting a stronger taste, but I can only attribute this to past experience of more heavily flavoured, heavily sugared soft drinks.

I would describe the taste as delicate and fresh, perfect on a hot afternoon when you need a little boost. You wont find yourself suffering from a heavy sugar crash half an hour after drinking, but you will find yourself refreshed.

Design

I love the external look of the bottle. But I have one small note and that’s that the bottle is made of glass. Of course this makes it easy to recycle, but it doesn’t make it terribly light. This might cause an obstacle to it’s inclusion in a picnic or bag. If you were carrying several you would probably feel it. So perhaps a lighter option for those of us on the move would be a nice introduction. But on a purely aesthetic level the bottle works brilliantly.

Would I recommend this product?

Definitely, anything that will help to bring a smile to very ill children can’t help but get a thumbs up. Forgetting it’s worthy goals though, the drink is pleasant and light. If you like a strong flavour then it might not be for you. On the other hand for those who drink/try to drink water but want something a little more interestin,g then this little bottle is perfect.

Details

Step Up is available form Wholefoods Market, Harvey Nichols and other independent retailers nationwide.

RRP from £1.49 for 330ml bottle.

Step Up contains: Purified water, Fruit juices (White Grape, Apple, Orange, Lime, Tangerine, Lemon), Botanical extracts (Yerba Mate, Rosemary, Green Tea, Kola, Guarana) and natural flavourings. No added sugar, nothing artificial.

Follow the ‘Step Up’ campaign @ www.fireflytonics.com/chox

If you want to help even more text ‘CHOX’ to 70099* to donate £1 to the Oxford Children’s Hospital*.

*You will be charged £1 plus one message at your standard network rate. Oxford Children’s Hospital will receive between £0.76 and £0.96, depending on your network. Thank you.