Bodenham Flood Protection Group Notice
GET STUCK IN!
The continuity of the Flood Group is critical in helping residents to protect their properties. A newly formed Committee of seven residents has made a flying start to the New Year. Key has been the recruitment of new members, and nine residents have joined! Strengthening the working party teams will give opportunity to expand our efforts in 2021 over a broader series of watercourses.
In January, members ‘walked the village’ looking for ‘hot spots’ to start making up a schedule of working parties. Normally, these working parties have been held in April to September, but it was felt that an early vigil would help to keep problems to a minimum. Three areas were noted for the Group’s more immediate attention: The corner of Ketch Lane and Millcroft; the culvert under Millcroft; and the brook that runs parallel to Smeadles Lane.
It was soon recognised that not all of them could be done by the Flood Group. A bank which had collapsed into the ditch at the corner of Ketch Lane has since been dug out by the landowner, so grateful thanks are due to them for moving so swiftly. A mound of debris at the Millcroft Road culvert was identified as an opportunity for the new Group members to get stuck in, as well as an island of debris in the brook running alongside Smeadles. A resident beat the Group to it (!) and kindly cleared the culvert at Millcroft, just leaving the Group to clear the debris off the land. Thanks to that resident for the hard work.
Please note though, that any work a resident wants to do to clear culverts or drains is done so at their own risk, and should still be reported to the Flood Group so that we can monitor the hot spots throughout the year.
Obviously, since the recent rains and flooding, Millcroft has been under water again and, through a member monitoring the area, we have been able to keep residents updated on the situation. In addition, a steady stream of work has continued, to try and keep the culverts and drains as clear as possible (sometimes a continuous job!). Drains along Millcroft in particular are prone to blocking with cuttings from hedge trimming and debris flowing on flood water. Whilst we can make every effort to clear these drains, they do block regularly and quickly. So, if you see any on your travels that can be cleared safely, please feel free to do so!
We should also mention that the Lengthsman, landowners, and other good neighbours have been busy digging channels and cutting back growth to clear areas for potential flood water to have a clear path through the village, as well as clearing footpaths, so a big thank you to all of those involved.
As we start to increase our membership, we will introduce a tier system of volunteers, hopefully on a rota system to spread the workload. The Tier 1 list will be made up of those able to tackle the heavier work. These members will also make up the Emergency Response Team, who with the Area Reps, will aim to help vulnerable residents at times of need. There will also be a Tier 2 team: no less important, these members will not just cover less arduous clearing work, but will also be key to helping with general organisation on the day.
The Committee has ambitions to increase communications to reach a wider audience. Apart from emails to members, and posting of Minutes on the Parish Website, we are looking to set up our own Facebook page, to keep residents updated quickly, and we will also be updating on nextdoor. So, watch this space!
BFPG Committee
Date: 01/02/2021 |
