A person cycles through floodwater at Orton as the area is completed flooded as the River Nene burst its banks in December 2020. Picture: Paul MarriottA person cycles through floodwater at Orton as the area is completed flooded as the River Nene burst its banks in December 2020. Picture: Paul Marriott
A person cycles through floodwater at Orton as the area is completed flooded as the River Nene burst its banks in December 2020. Picture: Paul Marriott

Flood advice roadshow holding public meetings in Peterborough

Two meetings are being held in Peterborough to help residents and businesses who have been hit by recent flooding get expert advice on flood prevention.

Homes and businesses across the city were hit by flooding following heavy rain last month.

The city has also seen homes, roads and businesses hit by flash floods in December last year and the River Nene also burst its banks in the city in February.

Residents of towns and villages across the Oxfordshire-Cambridgeshire ‘arc’ region are being invited to a series of special Property Flood Resilience (PFR) Day events, this month.

With flooding increasing across the country, a roadshow is being hosted by the Ox-Cam PFR Pathfinder Project - in partnership with local authority councils across the region - and are designed to help those households and businesses located in areas that have previously seen flooding receive expert advice on board a special ‘Floodmobile’ demonstration vehicle.

With many people across the area personally experiencing flooding within the last five years, the events are an opportunity for communities to come and learn what can be done to help make their properties resilient against flood water and lessen the impact future floods may have.

The events will be taking place between in each of the following locations;

- Monday 9th August - 10am 4pm

Peakirk Village Hall, Peakirk, Peterborough, PE6 7NQ

- Friday 13th August - 10am 4pm

Paston and Gunthorpe Community Association, Hallfields Lane, Peterborough, PE4 7YH

- Saturday 21st August 10am 4pm

Bar Hill: Tesco car park, 15-18 Viking Way, Barr Hill, Cambridge, CB23 8EL

Phil Foxley, Environment Agency flood risk programme manager, said: “Promoting the use of property flood resilience measures is a crucial part of our long term vision to better protect homes and businesses from flooding to create climate resilient places.

“We want to ensure people have access to the information and other measures such as PFR that they need to plan ahead for flooding and ‘Prepare, Act, Survive’. So we would encourage local residents and business owners to hear practical advice, at an event or online, about reducing the damage of flooding and getting back into their homes or businesses quicker after a flood.”

The Ox-Cam PFR Pathfinder Project is one of three national DEFRA projects, which aims to increase the effective uptake and awareness of PFR across the local authority areas.

As part of the roadshow, renowned flood resilience expert and representative for Ox-Cam PFR Pathfinder Project Mary Dhonau OBE will talk to visitors and offer advice, alongside Fola Ogunyoye CEng CWEM FCIWEM, Director of TJAY Consultancy Ltd who has over two decades of expertise in providing flood risk, water and environmental management consultancy services.

Confirms Mary Dhonau OBE: “I’ve been flooded on many occasions and it’s an appalling experience. For people living across the Ox-Cam arc region, the Flood Resilience Day events are an opportunity to learn more about the steps that can be taken to help reduce the impact flooding can have.

“Many of us invest in smoke alarms or security locks to protect against fires or thefts, however for those living at risk of flooding, water is the most indiscriminate ‘burglar’ there is.

“The Property Flood Resilience Days and our Floodmobile is therefore an opportunity to see these first-hand, talk to experts and receive information on just what can be done.”

Each event is free to attend and no appointments are needed; simply come along when convenient everyone is welcome.

For more information on the Ox-Cam Pathfinder Project, visit: https://www.floodtoolkit.com/ox-cam/ or follow the Ox-Cam PFR Pathfinder on social media: https://www.facebook.com/OxCamPFR.

Related topics: