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Author Topic: Flooding in the Yorkshire dales, a cautionary tale  (Read 6531 times)

Quiltysquail

  • Joined Mar 2017
Flooding in the Yorkshire dales, a cautionary tale
« on: October 14, 2019, 12:26:07 pm »
Most of you probably don't know me from Adam or eve, but the odd one or two might remember me.  I have a small holding in the Yorkshire Dales and have kept Ryelands since 1987, along with hens and ducks and quail. On July 27 a storm over Arkengarthdale and Swaledale caused massive devastation to farms and homes alike. We lost our eight Ryeland Tups, we lost hundreds of meters of dry stone walls, we lost the lane leading down to the smallholding as well as gates and the usual feed troughs , sheep racks etc. Of all the farms and small holdings to be hit, only ourselves and one other farm lost livestock. Our hearts were broken, the land was suffocated by tons and tons of river sand, sewage from the adjacent sewerage works and contaminated by lead from the old lead mining days.
 
At the same time my son's rented home was flooded so badly that internal doors were ripped in two, mud inches deep covering everything as kitchen cabinets  were ripped off walls and upended. His Border collie only surviving ironically because the force was so great that in ripping the doors in to he and a daschund managed to escape upstairs. My son was permanently evicted and made homeless as a result, his Collie has had to come to live with us.

A great appeal was put out and charity help plus the government agreed to help those affected. Yet here is the catch, despite being some of the most severely affected, we now face costs to thousands to recover, we are too small by 1/4 of a hectare to count, we are excluded from any funding from the farming charities to help with the heartbreak and damage, with the exception of a small donation from Forage aid which is pending. infact it is not just the monetary help we have been refused but to date, the volunteer organisations mending walls etc have by passed us to help less badly damaged properties immediately adjacent to us.

Hundreds of thousands donated by the generosity of folk up and down the country, more is still being raised. But we are 1/4 hectare too small to count, too insignificant to matter. This is my cautionary tale, don't ever feel you will matter unless you are of a size they believe counts, it won't matter if you are facing utter ruin and while those around you face inconvenience, the scale of your damage isn't what counts. Don't look for help in a crisis it won't be coming and will only make you feel more and more worthless in the eyes of the world.



« Last Edit: October 15, 2019, 06:59:18 am by Quiltysquail »

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Flooding in the Yorkshire dales, a cautionary tale
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2019, 10:45:16 pm »
Oh Cris, I am distraught to hear this.  I won’t be the only one made a donation at the time, expecting that everyone affected in the area would be helped by the money raised and the efforts of the volunteers. 

Is it worth making a Change.org petition about it?  Sometimes these are very good vehicles to bring iniquities to the attention of those who can make a difference.  If you can word and create a petition seeking to get smaller holdings included in the remedial works, I for one will promote and share it widely through all my networks.

« Last Edit: October 15, 2019, 08:38:37 am by SallyintNorth »
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Quiltysquail

  • Joined Mar 2017
Re: Flooding in the Yorkshire dales, a cautionary tale
« Reply #2 on: October 15, 2019, 07:09:01 am »
Hi Sally
I’ve  thought about that but at the moment I’m at a loss to know where to start. I do however think that people who have given, so generously, should know that what they have given, has probably not gone where they imagined it would go.


SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Flooding in the Yorkshire dales, a cautionary tale
« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2019, 08:38:07 am »
Have you tried your MP?  I know some of them are less use than a chocolate fireguard, but this is the sort of thing they should be able to help with.
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

stufe35

  • Joined Jan 2013
Re: Flooding in the Yorkshire dales, a cautionary tale
« Reply #4 on: October 16, 2019, 09:50:38 pm »
Have you contacted your insurance company ?

 

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