What a stressful time it has been thanks to Storm Desmond. Here is Burton we escaped relatively lightly. A few wet cellars, some flooded and damaged roads, and a collapsed wall or two, but nothing on the scale of the communities around us.
Seeing many places under feet of water is so shocking. It's hard to imagine what it is like living in a street where the flood water comes up to your chest, or where the West Coast Main Line is under eight feet of flood water.
Some 5,000 homes across the county have been flooded, which means all those families are now either staying with friends and relatives or have taken shelter on one of the refuges around the county.
The assistance given by the emergency services, by volunteers from organisations such as RNLI, Bay Search and Rescue, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the mountain rescue teams and many others, plus the support given by the Army, has been invaluable. They have worked tirelessly since the Storm began, and everyone in the county owes a huge debt of gratitude to them all. Without them it would have been so much worse.
Aid has also come from all over the country. Kind people throughout the UK have been contacting local groups, offering clothing, bedding, Christmas gifts, food and drink, and much more besides, to those who have lost so much in the floods. Their generosity is overwhelming and much appreciated.
It will take millions of pounds to effect repairs to all of the properties damaged, to mend all the roads ripped up or washed away, to replace the bridges destroyed. Just cleaning the mud and water out and disposing of damaged items will be a huge task. Kendal Lions have provided a huge quantity of cleaning materials for those affected in Kendal. Supermarkets ASDA and Morrisons have been sending food and clothing to the refuges. Hundreds of local businesses have offered help without being asked. The community spirit is strong in Cumbria, but it will take more to rebuild our towns and villages.
The Cumbria Foundation's Cumbria 2015 Flood Appeal was launched over the weekend, and has, as of today, raised more than £500,000 towards its target of £2 million, which will go to help anyone in the county who needs help as a result of the flooding.
If you can help by making a donation to the Appeal, you can do so via their Just Giving webpage here
http://campaign.justgiving.com/charity/cumbriafoundation/cumbriafloodappeal2015
If you need help just ask, if you can help just offer.
http://www.spiritofcumbria.co.uk/ And thank you to everyone who does.
