Topic: Hull news

[Jeannine]

Hi Tin Shed, I have been charging about all day and not had time to make many calls, take a look at

http://www.hullcc.gov.uk/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/HOME/ALERTS/FLOOD_HULLINPRINT.PDF

There is a ;ot of info on here.I will try and get chance to pop in to our school church tomorrow and get some more info for you

Thank you XX Jeannine

[asbean]

Jeannine and all those up north - we've been thinking of you all the time, we see it all on the news, and it's so sad to watch, but even more soul destroying for those who are living the nightmare. You just have to give thanks that you are alive, it could have been worse, and hopefully it will dry out.

The big worry is, this is not the first time, nor will it be the last. If this weather is setting a pattern then we are going to have to be more proactive in defending ourselves against floods, and that doesn't mean just increased insurance premiums.

We're thinking of you  :-* :-* :-*

[Tin Shed]

Jeanine, many thanks for looking for us, we do appreciate it. I will keep trying other avenues and hopefully we will find a branch and be able to offer some support.

[oggiesnr]

This is wasn't I'd expected to be my first post but.....

Situation in Hull is still totally confused.  There are almost no tradesmen to do any work and those that are (round here anyway) seem to be doing the annual of student houses as per their contracts.  Whether you got damaged or not was literally a matter of luck and inches. We flooded the workshop and garage, next door both sides flooded their kitchens, we all got two foot of water in the foundations.  The Council (like all Councils) doesn't insure it's properties,  the bill is toomuch for it's insurance fund and the reserves won't stretch that far,  looks like 9schools are out for a long count.

Problem seems to be that it wasn't dramatic, no rivers bursting their banks, tidal waves rushing down the street, it was just a slow inexorable rise as the rain fel and went nowhere.  There's no news value in that.

The nearest allotments to here suffered badly, the water just sat there for days and it seems as if a number of tenants are going to pack in.  Theoretically there's a waiting for that site but we'll see what happens.

Down the road there are a lot of issues here about drainage, development on flood plains etc but I fear that when the dust settles it will be expedient to call it a once in a hundred years event and do nothing and I fear it will happen again.

All the best

Steve

PS I've just taken the lease on two plots on National Avenue (for those who know Hull) but that's a different story, be well.

[saddad]

Good luck with your plots Steve... why not say hello properly in one of the other areas. Don't know Hull well but hopefully they aren't on the flood plain!
 :)

[Jeannine]

Welcome Steve, I hope you enjoy the forum and your new plots.

The morale around the folks I am dealing with everyday is on the whole good which is amazing considering the situation.

Both my lotties are toast this year as were so many others around me but the mood is positive on our site and folks have no intention of packing it in, everybody is helping everybody else and the usual mood  prevails.

In the school I work in we are all coping in temporary accommodation at other schools and working hard to rebuild our own one, we are very tired and stressed but the morale is high too, there are frustrations of course due to waiting in for folks who don't come on time but things are moving on,several of our staff were flooded out, in fact one was flooded again the night before last. Our children and their parents have been wonderful during all this upheaval with no complaints, and have worked with us in all ways possible.

I do hope you enjoy the site here, you will find loads of info and fun,please let me know if I can help you,we are on the Bude Road site by opposite Asda.

Good lick with your new lotties XX Jeannine

[Jeannine]

Just a quick update.

Hull has missed the last bout of flooding and rebuilding is happening all around.

Sadly we got the news this morning that our school will not open in September as we had hoped,the damage is too extensive and is going to need much longer so we will continue to camp out in two other near by schools.

John went down to the lottie again yesterday and would you believe it  some of the flooded beans that appeared dead are showing growth and the huge squash bed that we stuck in about 2 weeks ago in pouring rain have actually hung in and some have flowers.

This has made me laugh. All the careful potting on ,and tender care usually  taken with planting out went out of the window. The squash were dying in their pots and needed chucking but in a break in the rain we planted them. No time for fuss, just a spade hole, bunged in, covered up and move on to the next one. We planted 80 plants in an hour, no labels, no manure, just stuck them in!!!

Good we can laugh eh!!

XX Jeannine

[emmy1978]

It is a shame about your school Jeannine. It must be very disruptive for pupils and staff. The shot of a Hull primary school on the news made Gene sigh when he saw all the children's work floating around ruined.
Your plants are obviously as tenacious as yourself!

[Robert_Brenchley]

I'm doing much the same as you, Jeannine; it looks as though squash are going to be the last survivors this year.

[cambourne7]

have you seen this

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6919362.stm
(Funding plans for flooded schools)

[Jeannine]

Thanks Cambourne for the link, actually the Mum and boys in the photo talking to the PM was taken in our school when he visited us a couple of Saturdays ago.

The Mums home was also flooded by the way, hers was one of the homes I waded in  to visit.

We will not be open for September, it is just impossible.

All the wood fittings, doors,floors , skirting  and fixed cabinets have been removed now but the school is still very damp and they will not give the building a safety certificate to do repairs until it reaches a certain degree of dryness. Apparently disinfecting a damp building is useless as the damp causes the bacteria to grow again and it becomes unsafe again very quickly.  Even the ducting had to be fumigated before some workmen could start working, another unexpected hold up.

So like many others around the country we wait and keep our fingers crossed.

Most of the schools in Hull are up and running, i think there are 5 of us in this position.

XX Jeannine

[cambourne7]

Its so sad probably easier to knock the building down and start again!!

[tim]

Steve's point about tradesmen - we can't even get them within months without being flooded!

A big worry for all - whatever the scale of damage.