Residents and businesses across West Cumbria have been urged to take practical steps to prepare for flooding following a successful visit by the Floodmobile and Mary Long-Dhonau OBE – widely known as ‘Flood Mary’ – one of the UK’s leading voices on flood resilience.
The visit brought flood preparedness into the heart of the community, giving residents the chance to see first-hand how homes and businesses can be better protected from flooding and how recovery times can be significantly reduced if water does get in.
The Floodmobile – a specially adapted “flood house on wheels” – demonstrated a range of property-level flood resilience (PFR) measures, including flood doors, air-brick covers, non-return valves and resilient internal finishes. Visitors were able to speak directly to flood-risk professionals and receive practical, tailored advice based on their own circumstances.
Mary Long-Dhonau OBE, who has lived with flooding for decades and now campaigns nationally to help communities become more resilient, shared her personal experience and stressed the importance of preparation, awareness and early action.
The visit was hosted by Josh MacAlister MP, who met residents, community representatives and flood experts to discuss local flood risk, resilience measures and the importance of ensuring communities in West Cumbria are supported before, during and after flooding events.
Josh MacAlister MP said:
“It was timely to welcome Mary Long-Dhonau OBE and the Floodmobile to West Cumbria last week. Flooding is something too many local families and businesses have experienced, and the impact can be devastating.
“What this visit showed very clearly is that there are practical steps people can take to reduce damage and recover more quickly. Seeing these measures in action, and hearing directly from someone who has lived through flooding and turned that experience into positive action, was incredibly powerful.
“I will continue to work with residents, the local authority and national agencies to make sure flood resilience and preparedness remain a priority for West Cumbria.”
Mary Long-Dhonau OBE said the visit underlined the importance of empowering communities with clear, practical information:
“Being flooded is very distressing and disruptive but knowing your risk, how to prepare for a flood and how to better protect your home can hugely reduce the impact and help you to return home sooner.
“If you are sadly flooded, do check if your insurance includes Flood Re’s ‘Build Back Better’, this can help you financially to make your home flood recoverable against any future floods’. I also have a flood recovery guide, which helps during the first bleak days after a flood. It can be found on my website at floodmary.com.”
Residents are encouraged to check their flood risk, sign up for flood alerts, and explore property-level resilience options as part of wider community preparedness.
Josh has pulled together further information on flood preparedness and resilience measures on his website at joshmacalister.uk/flooding
Josh MacAlister MP 