Community spirit during Christmas flooding
James Reader, CEO at Covéa Insurance and one of Flood Re’s Local Heroes judges shares his experience of the floods that hit his local area in Calder Valley during 2015:
The winter of 2015 saw flooding on an unprecedented scale in many parts of the UK, with the Calder Valley in Yorkshire being one of the country’s worst affected areas.
Storm Eva tore through the region on Boxing Day bringing floods that ripped through our towns and villages, destroying homes, businesses and livelihoods. It’s hard to forget some of the images from that day, which remind us of the true scale of the devastation that floods can cause.
In Mytholmroyd, where I live, the rising River Calder and Cragg Brook swamped the community on a level never seen before; at its worst, the centre of the village was under more than 6 feet of water.
The immediate aftermath was bleak, with buildings and bridges collapsed under the weight of flood water and many homes and businesses left devastated. Many residents of the Valley suffered for the second time in three years as their homes were caught in the deluge.
Something that wasn’t bleak was the community spirit and support I witnessed both during the events as they unfolded and over the weeks following. Hundreds of people turned up on a daily basis, mostly locals but some from as far afield as London, to support the clean-up efforts.
As I was helping out in Mytholmroyd and neighbouring Hebden Bridge, I was also aware of the fantastic response in our Covéa Insurance offices, with many of our team coming into work during their Christmas holiday knowing that hundreds of our customers would also be needing our help and support. In our business, a good day at the office is helping put things right for people, knowing you’ve made a positive difference to their lives.
It’s events like these – how we respond when our weather turns people’s lives upside down – that are the real moments of truth for insurers. Unfortunately, at that time, many of the residents of the Calder Valley, and other similar communities around the country, didn’t have insurance cover in place; if it was available at all, the premiums were simply unaffordable for many. That’s why I’m proud of the progress the industry and Flood Re have made since 2015 to ensure people living in flood prone areas have access to affordable insurance to protect their homes against future floods.
Having seen first-hand the disruption and emotional distress this can cause, the Local Heroes campaign is a great opportunity to highlight the extraordinary selflessness of people in helping fellow members of their community in the toughest times. I witnessed first-hand a number of these in my own community and I’m delighted that we have this opportunity to support this award and help to ensure that a number of Local Heroes receive the recognition they deserve.
James Reader, CEO, Covea Insurance