Wainfleet flooding: The Masonic Response
Our Masonic ‘duty of care’ for the community at large clearly calls on us to support the people affected by the flooding in Wainfleet. Against that backdrop, brethren in the Province of Lincolnshire need to be aware of the following. We will of course respond positively, but under advice and direction from the proper authorities.
The PGM contacted the Head of Emergency Planning for Lincolnshire, Ian Reed, to see how best we can help.
We are advised that:
- the incident is still in the ‘response’ stage, and is being handled by the Emergency Services
- individual offers of help, whilst appreciated, may cause more problems in the short term. The response from the Emergency Services can be hampered, for example, by people turning up at Wainfleet unannounced and ‘self-deploying’. This has caused some real difficulties in terms of a properly co-ordinated response
- there will be a need for help, both financial and in person, when the operation moves into the ‘recovery’ stage – which is likely to take months, if not years
- within the next few days East Lindsey District Council, which covers the Wainfleet area, will have set up a registered charity as an Emergency Fund, to which individuals and organisations will be able to make donations. Details will be circulated as soon as they become available
The Masonic Charitable Foundation and the PGM have been in contact to ensure a ‘joined up’ response in terms of any Masonic donations made centrally from the MCF and the Province. Details of this will also be shared in the near future.
