Welcome to Somerset Prepared's New Year Newsletter!

Welcome to the new year update from the team at Somerset Prepared!

In this bumper edition, we look back at the events of 2022 while also preparing for the new year ahead, ready to make this year the most prepared yet!

In this newsletter we look at our Somerset Prepared Event and Community Resilience Award nominees and winners, we highlight some amazing work being undertaken in Martock and some winter resources to help you strengthen your planning and preparedness in 2023.

Spring is on the horizon, and days are already getting longer. In the meantime it's more important now than ever to look after the physical and mental health of yourself and your neighbours, especially during periods of cold or wet weather. Keep reading for resources on staying healthy, happy and warm, and on how to be best prepared for bad weather.

We have already started planning for the next Somerset Prepared event, look out for details later in the newsletter on the Community Resilience Awards to be presented at the event!

If you want to get more involved with emergency preparedness, response or recovery in Somerset, please check out our Volunteers page for more information.

Best wishes,

Somerset Local Authorities' Civil Contingencies Unit

Community Case Study

Martock Village Flood Warden Scheme

We would like to spotlight a particular community which is going above and beyond to promote community resilience in Somerset. This particular group have also been a key recipient of our Somerset Prepared Grant and recent runner up in our Somerset Prepared Community Resilience Award. Martock Flood Warden Scheme began with a small group of volunteers in 2013 who sought to combat the long history of flooding in the village.

Since this time the initiative has grown to an exceptional example of community resilience in Somerset. The group works during flooding to operate sluice and flood storage areas, deliver and erect flood signs and provide and operate specialist flood equipment such as hydro snakes at flooded locations. Working with partners from SCC Highways, Parish and District Councils and the Somerset Rivers Authority, Martock Flood Wardens also work in non-emergency times to monitor future weather, maintain equipment and flood prevention structures and develop new flood protection measures.

Their newest project involves collaboration with landowners and flood protection partners over the past 3 years to design a new flood protection measure, this project would be both climate adaptive while benefitting the local environment and landowners. The proposal aims to establish a flood storage and wetland area upstream, helping to combat phosphate pollution and allowing the stored water to be used for irrigation in times of drought.

On top of all these actions, the group has also found time to be a founding member of Somerset Water Action Network (SWAN) and take part in three films in the last two years, the most recent being 'Down by the River'. These films serving as inspiration for other communities who are looking to also improve their community resilience.

Despite their wealth of skills, the group say that the most important tool has been their ability to work together as a team to achieve benefits for the community. Through pooling their skills they were able to repair a sluice mechanism for £1,500 when the initial quote by an external provider was over £10,000.

Martock is a shining example of community resilience and serve as an incredible source of support and help for theirs and partner communities.

For information on how you may also apply for a grant visit: Funding Support

Village Halls Week: 23rd - 29th January

Village halls are often at the heart of village life, from children and infant activities, places of safety, recreation classes and much more beyond.

At Somerset Prepared we especially know the important role village and community halls play during emergencies, serving as places of safety, rest centres and community hubs to support those in need.

To highlight the amazing role these places play, ACRE is running Village Halls week 23-29th January 2023. The sixth annual campaign looks at how village halls can provide warm, welcoming and inclusive spaces by sharing inspiring stories and encouraging halls to host open days in the week.

To find out more information and register your village hall visit; Village Halls Week 2023: Warm, welcoming & inclusive spaces - ACRE

Community Resilience Event

October 2022

We held our Somerset Prepared Event last October at the West Monkton Village Hall. After two years of online events our in-person event was very well attended and it was great to see you all there. We were pleased to offer workshops On Line Throwing, Food Resilience, Climate Adaptation and many more from a range of our partners and guest speakers from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue, Environment Agency and Somerset Water Action Network. All resources from our incredible speakers and presentations are available on our website: Somerset Prepared Event 2022

At this event we were also proud to present the first of our Community Resilience Awards. The award recognises the outstanding work an individual and group are doing to promote community resilience in Somerset. Our worthy winners were Sarah Kanah-ah for her work in combatting mental health issues, through setting up Somerset Anxiety Support, volunteer work for St. Johns Ambulance and the Red Cross and Stoke St. Gregory's Heart of the Village project for turning their local pub into a hub for community activity, including a shop and cafe. Both winners were presented with a luxurious hamper of Somerset produce worth more than £100.

Nominate a person or group for our Community Resilience Award!

Do you know a someone or a group who has gone above and beyond to promote community resilience in Somerset? Why not nominate them for our Somerset Prepared Community Resilience award? The winner will be presented with a hamper of local Somerset Produce and the runners up with certificates at our Somerset Prepared event in the Autumn. Nominate by getting in contact here: Contact us – Somerset Prepared

Winter Weather - Looking After Yourself and Your Neighbours

Winter can be a challenging time of year for everyone. Spring is on the way, and there are resources that you can use to help look after yourself and the people around you including your neighbours and your community.

Healthy Somerset Website

Keep Warm and Well Poster

Top Tips for keeping warm and well

The Met Office also have their annual Weather Ready campaign to give you advice on how to prepare yourself and your property for winter and the associated severe weather risks that come with it. To find out more visit WeatherReady - Met Office.

Home Emergency Preparedness this Winter

Getting prepared this winter can help protect you and your community, relieving some of the pressure on emergency services during this busy time.

Scottish and Southern Electric (SSE) also have produced a home emergency plan, helping you prepare for home emergencies. Find out more here: Home Emergency Preparedness

Visit Somerset Prepared at http://www.somersetprepared.org.uk/creating-a-home-emergency-plan/ for more information.

Priority Services Register;

The Priority Services Register is a free service that allows energy providers to help people who have additional needs.

This register can help energy providers give you advanced notice of scheduled power cuts, priority support in emergencies, priority support when calling your network operator and help reconnecting your gas supply, among many other features.

You are eligible if, but not limited to;

• have reached your state pension age

• are disabled or have a long-term medical condition

• are recovering from an injury

• have a hearing or sight condition

• have a mental health condition

• are pregnant or have young children

• have extra communication needs (such as if you don’t speak or read English well)

• need to use medical equipment that requires a power supply

• have poor or no sense of smell

• would struggle to answer the door or get help in an emergency

To find out more visit; Get help from your supplier - Priority Services Register | Ofgem, or contact your energy provider.

Care Homes:

We have lots of winter preparedness advice specifically for care homes on our website, for more information click here: : Winter Preparedness Advice for Care Homes – Somerset Prepared

Roadside Salt Bins:

Please check on your roadside salt bins in preparation for cold weather. If they need re-filling, Parish and Town Councils can request a re-fill from the Highways Management team.

SPARK: Warm Welcome Somerset

SPARK are working with a number of partners in Somerset to develop a network of Warm Welcome spaces where people can find warmth, company and support amid the cost of living crisis.

Visit below for a map of the warm spaces, more information or to sign up to be a warm space: Warm Welcome Somerset | SPARK (sparksomerset.org.uk)

Partner Focus - Red Cross

In each newsletter we would like to highlight one of our amazing partners in Somerset Prepared, this edition it is the Red Cross.

The Red Cross is an international humanitarian organisation who have groups across the globe. In Somerset, the Red Cross provides two support services, in Emergency Response and Independent Living, they also run a Mobility Aid Service and training. The Mobility Aid Service can support people by loaning wheelchairs and other mobility support in the short- and medium-term. They also run a range of workplace health and safety training.

The Independent Living services help to provide support to Musgrove Park Hospital and Yeovil District Hospital and help people in the community. Transport Service helps to get people home from hospital and settle them in whilst identifying any further support they may need in the community. Support is also provided to people who have recently had an admission to hospital or who require support in the community to avoid an admission to hospital. An overview of this support includes setting up packages of care or micro providers, home safety checks, safe and well calls, benefits support, befriending, shopping and signposting. Referrals come from professionals working in the hospitals or the community into a Single Point of Contact System.

The Emergency Response service works in partnership with category 1 and category 2 responders, providing psychosocial support to people affected by crises including domestic fires, flooding and power outages. Support focuses on helping people to begin the process of recovering by supporting them through their first steps. Support can be provided on site, or at rest centres, or by telephone depending on the situation.

The Red Cross in Somerset are currently seeking volunteers who can join in either strand. If you are interested, please contact on southcier@redcross.org.uk . More information about the Red Cross can be found here: https://www.redcross.org.uk/get-help

Have your say - We would love your feedback!

Have your say on what you'd like to see in these newsletters and the website. We are always looking for collaboration and communities, projects or events to highlight so please contact us and let us know.

Featured images – Theme of winter prepared

Here at somerset prepared we like to feature somerset in all its glory! This newsletter our theme is Winter Prepared, do you have an image of Somerset you would like to share? Send your images to somersetprepared@somerset.gov.uk for a chance to be featured!

Get in contact with us on Twitter @Somersetprepare to have your say!