Communities invited to learn about property flood resilience at free events

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

* Ox-Cam PFR Pathfinder Project hosts eleven Property Flood Resilience Day events between 3-21 August in Buckinghamshire, Peterborough, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire *

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, between Tuesday 3rd and Saturday 21st August.

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;
- Thursday 5th August - 10am – 4pm:
Stony Stratford Market Square Car Park, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes

- Friday 6th August - 10am – 4pm
Stoke Goldington Village Hall, High Street, Milton Keynes, MK16 8NR

- Monday 9th August - 10am – 4pm
Peakirk Village Hall, Peakirk, Peterborough, PE6 7NQ

- Wednesday 11th August - 10am – 4pm
High Wycombe: Millbrook Combined School, Mill End Road, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP12 4BA

- Friday 13th August - 10am – 4pm
Paston & Gunthorpe Community Association, Hallfields Lane, Peterborough, PE4 7YH

- Wednesday 18th August - 10am – 4pm
Pytchley: The Overstone Arms, Stringer's Hill, Pytchley, Kettering, Northants, NN14 1EU

- Thursday 19th August - 10am – 4pm
Far Cotton: Delapre Community Rooms, Delapre Annexe, Alton St, Main Road, Far Cotton, NN4 8EN

- Friday 20th August - 10am – 4pm
Islip: The Swan Inn, 1 Lower Street, Islip, Oxfordshire, OX5 2SB

- 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.



ENDS

Notes to Editors:

1. Images of the Ox-Cam PFR Pathfinder’s Floodmobile and Mary Dhonau OBE are available to download here.

2. Interviews with Mary Dhonau OBE are available on request - peppa@peptalkpr.co.uk.

About the Ox-Cam Pathfinder Project:
As one of three DEFRA national pathfinder partnerships, the Ox-Cam Property Flood Resilience (PFR) Pathfinder Project has launched to raise awareness of PFR across the extensive Oxfordshire-Cambridgeshire Arc region.

The Ox-Cam PFR Pathfinder Project is hosting a series of community events to demonstrate the active steps that people can take to make properties and businesses resilient to flooding. This will include PFR demonstrations using its bespoke ‘Floodmobile’ vehicle, an example property at HR Wallingford in Oxfordshire, and the online provision of PFR resources, specialists and guidance.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/oxcampfr
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OxCamPFR

Editor’s Contact:
Peppa Sheridan / Lucy Sheehan
07725 121189
peppa@peptalkpr.co.uk / lucysheehan@outlook.com