Emergency grant scheme to help Somerset families devastated by floods

Emergency grants are being made available to help people in Somerset who have been badly hit by severe flooding.

A week of torrential rain and storms has seen parts of the county flooded up to three times within the past six days.

Families start the flooding clean-up in Martock
Families start the flooding clean-up in Martock
Families start the flooding clean-up in Martock
Elspeth Sinclair surveys damage in Martock
The Cross Keys near Taunton
Villagers in Ruishton combat the floods

Somerset Community Foundation wants to raise funds to help distressed families who have seen their homes and livelihoods ruined by the devastating floods.

Somerset County Council has vowed to support the charity, and will donate £50,000 from its emergency contingency fund to help get the campaign off the ground.

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“This is a great idea where a successful charity and the County Council can work together to get emergency help direct to those people who need it most,” said council cabinet member David Hall.

“It is extremely distressing for people who have seen water pour into their homes. If we can ease the load slightly with some relatively small grants just to help them over the crisis, then that is important and we will react quickly to help.”

Somerset Community Foundation made national headlines last year for a campaign in which it asked people who did not need their government winter fuel allowance to pass the grant over to the charity to then be used to help more vulnerable and needy residents.

"We thought that this is a crisis and we should do what we can to help,” said the charity’s chief executive Justin Sargent.

“If we raise more money than can be used in the immediate future, we would look at larger grants to those people hit hardest by the floods, and even to the other charities and groups that can support them.

“The campaign will be part of the existing ‘Surviving Winter’ campaign. Somerset people are so generous and I’m sure anyone who has seen the pictures on TV over the past week will know how much upset flooding can cause.

"The £50,000 from Somerset County Council is a fantastic contribution, but we are looking for more donations to add to the fund.”

Anyone interested in donating to the charity fund can do so online at www.somersetcf.org.uk or text donation to WARM44 £ and then the amount of donation they would like to give to text number 70070.

Click here for the latest Somerset weather forecast.

SOMERSET NOVEMBER FLOODS - VIDEO AND PICTURES

Sunday, November 25

Video: Tidal wave of flood water wipes out A361 road in Somerset

Photos: Severe flooding on the A361 and Somerset Levels

Photos: Mid Somerset floods on the levels

Video: Flooding in Bathpool after River Tone bursts its banks

Photos: Flooding as River Tone bursts its banks at Bathpool

Photos: An angry River Frome floods again

Friday, November 23

Photos: November floods cause chaos in Somerset

Video: Village main road turned into river as torrential rain hits Somerset