Re: the flooding north of England

[MrsSocks]

Living in a small village that is now essentially an island having been cut off by water, I just want to say what amazing community spirit and support I have witnessed in the last few hours! People coming together and help eachother out in the most extreme of ways, businesses opening to offer overnight shelters, emergency services working tirelessly, and strangers offering to go above and beyond to help those in need. Thank goodness we can still have some faith in humanity

Also lobby your MPs about flood relief/prevention if you believe it's important and worth spending money on.

We went through all this in 2009 and 2005.the Govt has put in flood defence systems or turned them down. It's not like this was unexpected but the extend is, this is the third flood of 1/100 years level in 10.

I can't see why it should get deleted strap on. It's a legitimate request. In fact it should be right across the mumsnet site when you log in.

As soon as I can get out of my sick bed for long enough....I'll be on it.

Somerset was just dreadful. That poor man who tried to save his house. I was rooting for him like crazy.

Devastated that it's raining again for you.

It's just been horrendous for those effected. The news about tens of thousands of homes in Lancashire (a huge area) without power is just laughable - when it should be entire city and immediate surroundings with no power, therefore no fuel to buy, hardly able to buy food etc.

As for the flooding - heart breaking, I know relatively few in Lancaster have been flooded but all those in Carlisle, Kendal and beyond. We haven't had the internet etc. to keep up with what is going on

Some established local charities with funds to help flood victims

www.cumbriafoundation.org/

www.lancsfoundation.org.uk/

Couldn't find one for the Scots

So heartening how locals have pulled together. Working in the job I do we have been so so busy but colleagues have tried and got to work, off duty have come in etc etc

Appleby looked really bad. The river runs right through the town there.

What did camermoron have to say?

I'm a bit fed up. DD is in a student house in Lancaster with no power no mobile no internet to study online stuff with and from what I gather little food little clean water and unable to get home or to uni on the train.

All the house mate Lancaster uni student's lectures are cancelled till the end of term so they arent much bovvered and are only thinking about how they can get home early for Christmas but DD is doing a fast paced law conversion in another university to which she cannot get to by train atm and DH has refused to go up there and rescue her and bring her home or at least to a warm dry place with internet and food. This is typical of him. He is hopeless.

Abel and Cole have cancelled their weekly box delivery to DD's house which we fund. Huh.

It doesnt help that I pleaded with her not to go oop north to the outback in the first place. I mean what can you expect north of Watford?

My only consolation is she is a very good swimmer and rower. But actually I am still worried.

funny - I don't know if she can get to somewhere fairly local but there is a pub that will feed her and give free wifi, she can have a shower there too. PM me if you need

Thank you but a big problem is we cant contact her due to the mobile not working. I will pm you

Also she hasnt been able to get cash the machine

DS points out that we are well prepared with tins of stuff, a fully stocked food cupboard, tents, camping equipment, candles, torches, blankets etc but this is no consolation to me. Oop north the students are laid back and do not expect or prepare for disaster like us neurotic southerners who spend our lives preparing. Be prepared is our motto learned from scouting days. Even the summer gardening thread on mumsnet has a title about building barns from Hesiod.
So I am worrying like anything. DD will fail her end of term exams and end up with a poor attendance record. She will run out of her thyroxine tablets and go into a coma and die. and. I. will. not. know.

Funny. Lancaster is fine now. Sainsburys are even dispensing prescriptions. Tell her to get a corded phone then you can still (mostly) contact her if the power goes. Lancaster wasn't badly hit flood wise - just power wise.

Even the bloody clubs were open tonight - great show at conserving energy there

Hope to set up a donation drop in Morecambe tomorrow when I can finally leave work

The electricity company was handing out venison burgers in Dalton square (amongst other things) and there has been no issue with the water supply. Honestly she's fine

funny the trains were running yesterday even if you have to go south first. Your dd needs to put in extenuating circumstances form re exam. And is there no one she can stay with closer to uni?
There was O2 signal yesterday in Lancaster as I used it. Also had 3G. There was generators out on Monday for charging as I spoke to my cousin there.

The cash machines have been working today and the post office and banks have been doing counter withdrawals.Also, lots of shops etc have been dishing out food. I think she's been pulling your leg a bit about the extremity of the situation

That's was my thought Szeli

Although I think Funny is possibly trying to wind us up with the digs at northerners being under prepared.

It's grim oop north we're more prepared than any softie southerners I'm so prepared my DS(2) fixed the power by sleeping so nerrr (please don't anyone tell him otherwise, he's rather proud of himself)... "there was no power mama, so I go asleep, wake up, is power again. I clever."

Ha I'm a southerner that moved north years ago - I'm definitely more prepared for emergencies than my family, I also don't panic in snow, wind or rain.
The year they had an inch of snow and couldn't get to work, we had 2ft and I still managed to get in the office (love my car on snow it's brilliant if a little terrifying)
My mum phoned the other day to check we were ok in the weather as she'd seen the North on the telly, I pointed out we were in the NE and although there was some flooding it was nowhere like the NW and we live quite a long way up from the river.

Thanks for the reassuring updates. It doesn't sound so bad!
I expect they are as prepared up there, its only the students but they're young and healthy, they'll cope.

In Lancaster it's just annoying, vans offering free food, power off an on still when their are surges and the mobile signal for most has come and gone so I reckon she hasn't thought to text you probably too busy studying when she can and sleeping when she can't!!!

Or out partying at the stupid clubs that decided staying open totally fit in with the conserving energy plans

Beyond Heartbroken, flooded. It is wild outside now. The community spirit has been wonderful but we need more.

It is so cynical for David Cameron to bang on about money being provided. I think only 1/6 of the stricken people managed to get anything last year.
The government sounds wonderful, don't they? announcing such a large sum to be set aside. Getting it is going to be very hard. Cynical bastards.

I am so exhausted and so anxious. My beautiful home is rendered worthless.
We had no electricity so couldn't post on Mumsnet. Dark wet and cold without any help from the Agencies. Too little too late.

My laminate floors now look like bubble wrap, with the aroma of shite.