These scenes of inundation are just a few short miles away from where we'll be living in a month or so, in an area which a local person yesterday described to me in an email as 'submerged Swimmerset'. Recognising that the floods are no laughing matter for those in the middle of these 170,000 acres (15 per cent of the county of Somerset) and seeing how extremely slowly the cogs of government are running, The Royal Bath and West of England Society has taken on the challenge of aiming to raise £3 million to dredge the rivers in the area. They say:
The various agencies involved in managing the Levels have now agreed that dredging the rivers is the right solution to this problem, something which has not happened for at least 10 years. Farms and businesses have suffered extreme hardship with many having to close. The Society sees its role as bringing together the responsible parties (including farmers, the Environment Agency, Internal Drainage Boards, Somerset County Council, the NFU and conservation bodies) to ensure that this work is done and the levels are saved.
They're asking for donations: we can help them out here.
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