Thankyou! To everyone that attended and supported the UDOG launch event on Friday 5th June at Debenham Community Centre.
It was a really well attended event, hosted by John Gummer, Rt Hon Lord Deben with 80 people listening to four short presentations followed by a robust panel debate.
Professor Peter Hobson, of Anglia Ruskin University set the scene with the context of a changing climate and how we have managed our lands and rivers to lead us to this point. Matt Hullis head of Suffolk County Council’s environment team went into how these issues manifest in the flooding we experienced in Storm Babet, October 20923, what happened on the day and what we learned from it. Glenn Buckingham from Helmingham Hall showed practical example of natural flood management and how positive land management can slow flood waters in the upper catchment. Andrew Donnelly, Chair of UDOG then described how community groups can be a positive force in accelerating environmental outcomes, what UDOG aims to do and how, finishing with a call to action to join and make the voice loud and impactful. The take home message on what needs to happen is, surprisingly a dance – a foxtrot. SLOW, SLOW the flow in the upper catchment, quick, quick through the villages, then again SLOW to protect communities downstream.
The full deck is available to view here:
The speakers were joined by Mariah Ballam of the Upper Deben Farm Cluster, UDOG Trustee Jayne Jackson and Cllr.Teresa Davis of Mid Suffolk District Council for a panel debate and Q&A with the audience chaired by Local Grean Team stalwart Tansy Cooper. Many of the issues and solutions to them that were discussed are featured in Flood Smart Living, Suffolk County Council’s guide to flood management.
The debate focussed on two themes: how and why Natural Flood management works, what can local communities do and the role of housing development in flooding – how, if they are designed properly, they can be part of the solution. But are they?
If you haven’t joined yet, please sign up now and help us keep the momentum going. The more members we have, the stronger our voice will be. Membership has no set fee, but if you can, we ask you to consider making a donation towards UDOG’s operating costs, it will help secure the organisation become established as we move towards becoming a registered charity. Thank you.