Brown Pledges £14m for Flood Victims

Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced yesterday that a £14m relief package would be made available to help flood-hit areas of England in their recovery.

The announcement of the package follows complaints from residents in parts of South Yorkshire and Hull that they had been forgotten by the Government.

Part of the support package will provide local authorities in flood-hit areas with £10m to assist the work that they and other organisations are already doing to restore local communities. The rest of the money will go towards the repair of roads and bridges, as well as the replacement of household items for vulnerable individuals and their families.

A meeting will be held next week between Treasury Minister Kitty Ussher, Local Government Minister and now also Flood Recovery Minister John Healey, Environment Minister Phil Woolas and the Association of British Insurers to discuss how the insurance industry plans to meet the expected £1.5bn of claims.

"I would like to pay tribute to the heroic efforts of those who have responded to the floods locally. The emergency and rescue services, local authorities, Environment Agency, voluntary sector and individual members of the public have been brave and determined in what are very distressing circumstances.," said Mr Brown.

"I am taking immediate action to alleviate the suffering of those affected by the floods by announcing a £14million package of support to get people back on their feet as quickly as possible.

"Government will continue to work closely with local councils and communities as we do everything possible to help."

Christians have also given their support to flood victims. The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, was in Hull on Friday visiting those left homeless as a result of flood damage to their homes.

The poorest, the most vulnerable people on very low incomes - when these things hit them, it hits them hard, and you just feel your soul is almost, as it were, wrenched out," Archbishop Sentamu was quoted by the BBC as saying.

The Salvation Army has also been giving emergency services vital support as they continue with their efforts to clear the flood waters and get the region back to a state of normality.

Salvation Army staff and volunteers have been working tirelessly in flood-affected towns including Hull, Doncaster and Dinnington, where they are providing hot meals, clothes, blankets and emotional support. They have also been helping residents move furniture and belongings from their homes and properties.

In Doncaster, where the corps building has been turned into a rest centre for around 80 evacuees, The Salvation Army has enlisted the help of a magician to lift spirits, while the local Vue Cinema, Doncaster Super Bowl and Dome Leisure Centre have offered free use of their facilities.

Yorkshire Divisional Commander Major Bill Heeley praised the effort of Salvation Army staff and volunteers.

"I'm extremely proud of all the hard work put in by Salvationist and volunteers," he said. "At times like these when human resolve is stretched to the limit, The Salvation Army is committed to providing a caring hand and listening ear to ease the pain of those who are suffering. The phrase 'heart to god, hand to man' cannot be more true at times like these."