How Collaboration Helped Bedfordshire Stand Strong Against Flooding

Last week saw REACT Disaster Response rapidly deploy our trained volunteer flood responders to support communities across Bedford Borough, working closely with the Bedford Borough Council Emergency Planning team. Throughout Clapham, Turvey, Harrold, Stevington, and Odell, our responders collaborated with local flood groups to activate their emergency plans, minimising damage and offering vital assistance.

The relentless autumn rain highlights the urgency to expand flood capabilities across the UK. The Met Office has already forecasted a particularly wet autumn and winter, and the urgency to expand flood response capabilities has never been clearer. 

Our efforts reached Kempston, Bletsoe, Bromham, Milton Ernest, Goldington, Great Barford, and Roxton, offering support to residents and businesses. And our presence is critical as more and more areas are impacted by flooding.

From welfare checks and needs assessments, to delivering council flood sacks and information leaflets, we aimed to help mitigate flood impacts on local lives and properties, feeding situational updates back to the Local Authority.

Collaborations and Partnerships
The strength of our response lies in partnerships. We worked alongside established local flood groups, enabling their swift activation and execution of flood emergency plans, and supported community-led initiatives like those found in:

• Clapham Flood Group
• Turvey Flood Prevention and Action Group
• Harrold & Carlton Flooding Group on Facebook
• Stevington Community Flood Group

For those seeking to start or enhance their own flood groups, Communities Prepared offers resources and guidance to foster local preparedness and resilience.

A Wider Flood Response Across Bedfordshire
While REACT focused on Bedford Borough, our work was part of a broader flood response across Bedfordshire. Numerous organisations came together to support Local Authorities and Emergency Services. Among them:

• Serve On - Serve On Flood Deployment
• Midshires Search & Rescue - Midshires
• Beds & Cambs 4x4 Response - Beds & Cambs
• Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association
• British Red Cross - British Red Cross Bedfordshire

Coordination of efforts was orchestrated through the Bedfordshire Local Resilience Forum, Bedford Borough Council, and the Bedfordshire Local Emergency Volunteers Executive Committee (BLEVIC).Our volunteer flood team also worked in close collaboration with Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, distributing Aqua Sacs, providing advice, and standing by for potential rescues. More details can be found on their Flooding Response Page.

Standing Together for Resilience
The challenges faced over the week serve as a reminder of the strength and resolve of local communities and the power of working together. Thanks to the swift response and tireless efforts of all involved, vulnerable individuals were supported, damage was mitigated, and recovery efforts were quickly set into motion.

In the face of an unpredictable winter ahead, let’s continue to strengthen community ties, support preparedness initiatives, and remain vigilant against the rising threat of flooding.For further details on flood preparation and response efforts in Bedfordshire, please read Bedford Borough Council’s feature on Senior Flood Risk Officer Melanie Bright here.