Strengthening the UK’s Resilience to Flooding

As active members of the Know Your Flood Risk campaign, we closely monitor the undertakings of the group in its quest to raise awareness of flooding on a national level.  

This week, we saw Mary Dhonau OBE, the chief executive of the campaign, chair and speak at a Public Policy Exchange symposium that focused on ‘Strengthening the UK’s resilience to flooding’. 

The event, which was attended by Emergency Planning Officers, the Environment Agency, District and Borough Councils, Civil Contingencies Managers, Local Authority Councillors and members of the insurance industry to name but a few, debated ways to design effective strategies to safeguard the UK against flooding, constructing resilient strategies at the local level and the role of the Lead Local Flood Authorities and other emergency services in a flood crisis to support communities.

Confirmed Mary Dhonau OBE: “The symposium was a great opportunity for people with a wide range of responsibilities and specialisms to come together to share best practice, whilst also gain valuable insights into emergency preparedness at the local level.  With the UK’s vulnerability to extreme weather conditions and the increasing number of flooding occurrences, it was a timely event that discussed all avenues of flooding: – from identifying the risks before they happen, to having a robust contingency or emergency framework in place so communities can respond quickly, when time is of the essence.”

To find out more about the Know Your Flood Risk campaign, click here:

http://www.knowyourfloodrisk.co.uk/our-campaign

Flood Defences: what will feature in the Chancellor’s Budget?

Here at Landmark, as members of the Know Your Flood Risk campaign, we are fully behind the latest announcement from the ‘Flood Free Homes’ campaign, which urges the Chancellor to think ahead in terms of increasing spending on flood defences and maintenance, in this week’s Budget.

The Flood Free Homes campaign was launched by the Association of British Insurers, and is supported by Friends of the Earth, National Flood Forum, the Property Care Association’s Flood Protection Group, the BRE Centre for Resilience and, of course, the Know Your Flood Risk campaign.

Its aim is to raise the issue of long-term flood defence investment and land and water management, and so the campaign believes that the Budget needs to “set the tone” for future Spending Reviews so that protection against future flooding is seen as a national priority.

Commenting on the news, Mary Dhonau OBE, who is Chief Executive of the Know Your Flood Risk Campaign said: “Having been flooded myself, I know only too well how devastating it can be! It is essential that spending on flood risk and climate change is prioritised by the next Government. Our infrastructure is woefully inadequate and needs urgent investment to make it fit for purpose for both now and in the future!”

Mary Dhonau OBE

Continues Mary: “We set up the Know Your Flood Risk Campaign several years ago to help people understand their current and future flood risk.  We not only provide free guidance on how to work out your potential risk, but offer access to a wealth of guides and reports on how to prepare, prevent or recover from incidences of flooding.   As well as an interactive website and free mobile app, visitors can also purchase a property-specific flood risk assessment that provides a clear picture on current risks related to a property or its wider locality.”

www.knowyourfloodrisk.co.uk

Flood Defence Spending: BBC Radio Five Live

In advance of the Flood Defence Expo (4-5 December, London Excel), Mary Dhonau, chief executive of the Know Your Flood Risk campaign was invited as a guest on to BBC Radio Five Live's Breakfast show to discuss today's news regarding a £2.3bn investment in flood defences.

In an interview with Adam Parsons, Mary Dhonau discusses what the £2.3bn investment will mean for certain regions of the UK, which has been announced by the Treasury as part of the 2014 National Infrastructure Plan.

The full interview can be listened to using the BBC Five Live 'listen again' feature, during the next four weeks: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04sv04v - (click to 01:49:00)

Mary Dhonau OBE

For more details regarding the Treasury's announcement, click here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30282701

For more details regarding the Know Your Flood Risk Campaign, or to access a free Flood Resilience Guide, visit: http://www.knowyourfloodrisk.co.uk/

What Is It Like To Flood?

On the 4th and 5^th of December, the Flood Defence & Prevention Expo presents a range of solutions to widespread flooding problems from many of the UK’s leading flood prevention companies and experts.  The two day-event, which is taking place at the Excel Centre in London, is also hosting an extensive seminar and workshop programme to highlight new, cost-effective ways to help prevent and manage floods.

Mary Dhonau OBE, Chief Executive of the ‘Know Your Flood Risk’ campaign – which is supported by Landmark Information Group – will be speaking at the event.   During the Flood Defence Expo, Mary will be discussing what it's like to flood, how to plan, prepare and mitigate for it. 

Mary has been flooded herself on many occasions and has extensive experience in supporting and advising the victims of flooding during their recovery.

Mary Dhonau OBE

Explains Mary: “Being flooded is an appalling experience! The presentation will describe what individuals who do flood have to go through and will go on to give examples of how to plan, prepare, mitigate and become resilient to being flooded. I will also be urging everyone to download a copy of Know Your Flood Risk’s free Guide to Flood Resilience, which is the best guide of its type in the country for providing practical, hands-on advice to identifying your risk, through to putting measures in place to resist and overcome future floods from impacting your lives.”

Mary has represented the ‘voice of the flood victim’ for many years and is affectionately known as `Mary Queen of Floods`. She was awarded an OBE for services to the environment in the Queen`s Birthday Honours list in 2009.

In addition to her role as Chief Executive of Know Your Flood Risk, Mary also chairs the Flood Protection Group for the Property Care Association, and is a member of the Regional Flood and Coastal committee for Anglian Northern.   She also runs a consultancy (MD Associates) specialising in raising awareness of flood risk, how to militate against it and recover from it.

Mary’s presentation takes place on Thursday 4 December @ 14:00 in Seminar Hall Three.

To find out more about the Flood Defence Expo or to book tickets to attend, visit http://www.flooddefenceexpo.co.uk/.