The death of a neighbour's husband a few months ago gave me pause for thought in relation to the enormous turmoil and upheaval experienced by those that have been the victim of flooding recently. I think that living through such life changing events is very like the sudden death of a loved one.
Those of us fortunate to
have close family and friends can be overwhelmed with gratitude for the offers
of help and support when most needed. However, and I speak from personal experience
here, we often forget, that once the funeral is over, the floods have subsided,
and the excitement of the national interest in us is over, that's it, job done;
not the case at all.
It
is only once we get back to the humdrum daily grind of
life, with time to pause and consider the impact of the loss, that we
really
need that help and support, and that's where Samaritans come into their
own. It is returning home to the empty house, dealing with
the clean up, all the paperwork and bureaucracy that is involved, that
reality
sets in, and along with it, the danger of depression. It is in the
aftermath
that practical help and moral support is most needed; and when most of
us have
long since moved on to do other things.
I raise this because I
have been noting with interest the plethora of public figures, both local and
national, keen to come down to offer their commiserations at the plight of
those affected. Promises galore have been dished out, but beware of the
language used. We have gone from statements along the lines of 'whatever money
it takes will be spent', to '£10m will be made available', and then, only a few
hours later, '£10m will be made available to some businesses'.
We can,
sadly, expect a good deal more pussy
footing around before it's all done and dusted. This is where locally we can
expect, and should insist on, our local elected representatives to fight our
corner; to ensure a fair deal for Somerset. This does not mean though that we
should all be jumping on the band wagon, keen to get involved
Local
councillors, who barely show their faces the rest of the year have
hardly had the time to don their green wellies and Barbours before
leaping into the fray. To what end? If local opinion, and anger, is
anything to go by, then they are nothing but a media seeking nuisance
getting in the way of the real work that is needed.
I
understand that the fire service presence in response to the flooding
has reached levels not seen since the dark days of the second world war.
For once I can also praise local council officers, and in particular
Paula Hewitt, who has been playing a key part in organising and
co-ordinating the plans for recovery.
Despite
intense criticism of the Environment Agency, local workers on the
ground have been truly remarkable, and tales of round the clock working
are not unheard of.
The
armed services have of course been brilliant in providing additional
support although of course this is not without cost; the going rate for a
helicopter is apparently £25k a time.
Meanwhile,
back on dry land, the Samaritans have been responding in their own
quiet way, setting up shop in the two flood assistance reception
centres. Both Yeovil and Taunton branches have been working together to
help alleviate some of the misery with a kind word or two, and a
shoulder to cry on. This is in adding to extending face-to-face
contact, by going out on boats to access those who are stranded and
afraid to leave their homes. Samaritans will continue to provide their
usual round the clock support in the coming weeks and months, when
everyone else has shut up shop and gone home.
It
is at times like these that communities themselves show their mettle,
without the need for token gestures from those who are out to prove a
point. This is not, and never should be, about political manoeuvring.
Shame on those that wish to use it as such.
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