Toon legend's home destroyed in floods

Nov 29 2009 Sunday Sun

Red Cross chief praise for army of North volunteers

THE chief executive of the British Red Cross has paid tribute to staff and volunteers who have been working round the clock to help flood victims.

Sir Nick Young visited the organisation’s Command and Control Centre, based in Newcastle, to see how dedicated workers are helping the people of Cumbria to rebuild their lives.

His visit came as the British Geological Survey released an aerial photo taken last week, at the height of the floods, revealing the full extent of the devastation wreaked in Cockermouth, and the mammoth task which lies ahead for homeowners and businesses.

Along with three flood support centres in Cockermouth, Keswick and Ulverston, the Newcastle Red Cross centre is responsible for deploying Red Cross ambulances and coordinated the swift water boat response, as well as sending volunteers to man the rest centre at Cockermouth School.

Sir Nick said: “The Command and Control Centre has been operating day and night since the floods last week and our staff and volunteers have worked relentlessly to do as much as they can to help people who have been affected by these devastating floods. I’m incredibly proud of them.

“We know from experiences in Morpeth last year and from widespread flooding in 2007 that rescuing people from their flooded homes, supporting them in rest centres and waiting for the waters to subside is just the start of what can be a very long recovery process.”