[Penninehillbilly]

Bad flooding down in valley, we woke up up to water pouring off our hillside fields, drain blocked but we managed to clear it, but it's all on its way down to Hebden Bridge, which is already flooded nearly at 2012 level, I believe that was highest recorded. I believe roads are closed or impassible. I feel for them 
Upsetting, someone on radio at Keighley was saying he'd seen sheep being washed out of a field and down the river, poor things, they won't stand a chance with their fleeces waterlogged, I hope the end is quick for them. As said by person who saw it, there have been enough warning, owner should have got them away from the river.

[Caroline1]

So many affected by flooding this year, so sad especially for the animals who relie on people to protect them

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Its so heart breaking isn't it? The weather was so bad up here the last few weeks that I have had to bring them indoors. Its funny every time i go into the building to feed them I hear baaaaaaahhhhh, but at least am glad they're safe and dry. When the weather gets better I have some better fields for them to graze, they will of course still be getting supplemented feed and licks.  It really breaks my heart to see all these small farmers struggling and losing stock. I wish I could do something for them, but I myself am struggling.

[Marches Farmer]

The rainfall in the NW has been exceptional.  We were expecting heavy rainfall in 2007 but what we got was days of torrential rain.  We have a little stream that starts on the farm and drains the bowl at our end of the valley.  Normally it's about a metre wide and 15 cm deep but that Winter it was 5 metres wide and 3 metres deep and took trees and fences with it.

I had to pick up some hurdles from Vowchurch on Christmas Eve and the road from Bridge Sollers was flooded most of the way although we haven't had anywhere near the rainfall they're getting on Yorkshire and Lancashire.

[Beeducked]

We live on a flood plain and flood every winter at least a couple of times but we are lucky as it just affects the roads round us and cuts us off from the rest of the world. We have flooded more times in the last fortnight than we did the whole of last winter! Easy to get a bit fed up as I have to stay on the other side of the water when we flood so I can get to work but when you see what people are having to deal with elsewhere it puts a bit of irritation in perspective. Heart really goes out to people who have lost so much.

[waterbuffalofarmer]

I know beeducked I was reading about a farmer who had just lost half his land in Cumbria due to a landslide. On the way to Birmingham the other week I noticed a whole field flooded and it was horrible and beautiful at the same time, misty over the water on the field and a huge oak tree which had cast its shadow, half in water the trunk was, it looked like something out of Camelot.

[Roxy]

I grumble about being up here on the top of a hill, both our land and the house are high up ....but I thank God with all this rain, that we are out of the path of all the water.  I keep saying if we flood up here, then the end of the World is here.  Lower down from us, whole fields are submerged, and the rivers are very high, so I am very lucky that the water runs past us.

[DavidandCollette]

I can't begin to imagine what it is like in the north west. We live next to the trent but it hasn't flooded since the 1950s. I have an urge to take a truck full of goodies up to the Lake District.  Would it help?

[Lesley Silvester]

There have been flood barriers up alongside the Severn although they are down again now. The local park is submerged though so the river is still very high.

[Penninehillbilly]

I can't begin to imagine what it is like in the north west. We live next to the trent but it hasn't flooded since the 1950s. I have an urge to take a truck full of goodies up to the Lake District.  Would it help?

I think there are organization's being set up in Cumbria etc, Lancashire and West Yorkshire are too recent,  nothing could be done today, we couldn't get near to see if we could help, we'll go down in the morning to see what we can do, 2012 we went down to help clear some houses out in our parish, they would have hardly got themselves sorted, today's levels were higher than previous recorded, not the sort of record we want broken :-(.

[Buffy the eggs layer]

This was our Market town on Boxingday. Even my sandy small holding had pools of standing water which never happens. Once the rain stopped the sun came out and the wind got up so my place soon dried up but others are still dealing with the water levels that have nowhere to go.

[Buttermilk]

There are more housing estates for that flood water to pass through than the last time the place flooded.

[Marches Farmer]

The rainfall in the NW has been exceptional.  We were expecting heavy rainfall in 2007 but what we got was days of torrential rain.  We have a little stream that starts on the farm and drains the bowl at our end of the valley.  Normally it's about a metre wide and 15 cm deep but that Winter it was 5 metres wide and 3 metres deep and took trees and fences with it.

Oh, and a note to George Monbiot - the valley is ancient woodland.  When torrential rain falls on sodden ground trees make ****** all difference.

[harmony]

I can't begin to imagine what it is like in the north west. We live next to the trent but it hasn't flooded since the 1950s. I have an urge to take a truck full of goodies up to the Lake District.  Would it help?

I think the message is that actually the vast majority of the Lake District is not affected by flooding and is open for business. Those areas that have been affected Grasmere, Glenridding, Keswick and then out into Cumbria at Carlisle, Penrith etc once open for business will need business.


There are people who are in a desperate state, flooded not once but several times and yes support is needed.


There are ways to support these communities on line with details out there on the web such as the Cumbria Community Foundation. Practical help for farms affected might be best offered through Cumbria Farmer Network or the NFU.


Of course Storm Eva has brought further misery not just to Cumbria but other areas of the country and I feel for anyone affected especially at a time of year when people should be celebrating with friends and family in their homes.

[SallyintNorth]

I can't begin to imagine what it is like in the north west. We live next to the trent but it hasn't flooded since the 1950s. I have an urge to take a truck full of goodies up to the Lake District.  Would it help?

Bless you  and Yes. 

Facebook groups are probably the best place to find out what it is needed.  I found these :

Cumbria : https://www.facebook.com/groups/cumbriafloodvolunteers/?fref=ts
Yorkshire : https://www.facebook.com/Yorkshire-Voluntary-Flood-Support-162845580744256/?fref=ts
Lancashire : https://www.facebook.com/groups/1109881965711873/?fref=ts

In Cumbria on Dec 6th, the immediate need was food, bedding and clothes.  I remember there being especial calls for outsize clothes, and for food and beds for pets.   Pretty quickly the requirements moved on to cleaning materials, and they are still asking for these.

Items of furniture for those who don't have insurance will no doubt be welcome once people begin to get back into their houses - but first they have to clean up.

For those who cannot or do not want to take things to the affected areas, Cumbria has the Cumbrian flood appeal, target now raised to £6M.   An appeal for Lancashire was started on Dec 16th.  I would anticipate other appeals getting started any time now, for Yorkshire and other areas.

For aid specifically for farmers, there is Forage Aid.  And I just found this Princes' Countryside Fund Flood Appeal http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/displayCharityCampaignPage.action?charityCampaignUrl=2015FloodAppeal