Our Story of the
Kendal Floods
Our school Stramongate Primary
is located in the middle of Kendal, Cumbria next to the River Kent.
Hello from Stramongate Primary School, Kendal.
“This is a kind, caring and friendly school. Our teachers are tremendous and do lots of fun things with us. I know lots of stuff now”.
Photographs of our school
by year 5 pupils.
Flood
Flood
Storm Desmond
5th & 6th December 2015
It had been a normal Cumbrian day when the television was interrupted
by a warning that Storm Desmond was on its way. Warnings about the storm were all over Facebook and Twitter too. The storm was terrible. The 5th December 2015 saw record breaking rainfall in our area. Many houses and businesses were flooded in Kendal and in many other places too. Many of Stramongate Primary's pupils and staff were also flooded.
“Mum and dad went round helping.
In the morning we took teas and
coffees around and helped people move
things from their houses”.
“Dad has a van so we helped our friends
move everything to a new house”.
“We took bread and juice to people who had
been flooded”.
I made my Nanna and Grandda feel better
after the floods as they got flooded really
badly”.
"We helped people unblock their drains".
“We drove people around until our
car broke down”.
It was unexpected and unusual. The heavy, intense rain was falling constantly and rapidly filling up the rivers Kent, Sprint and Mint. Water barged down the rivers, and thundered against the banks furiously filling up all the space. The Kent rushed and gushed through Kendal until it was just too powerful and rapidly the intense flood began. Water flowed dangerously everywhere seeping quickly into homes and shops and nearly flooding our school.
On the weekend of Storm Desmond Mr Hourihan, the school caretaker, saved our school from flooding. He made sure that we had a dry school to return to. This meant that our school was only closed for two days. We interviewed him to find out more.
How long did it take you to protect the school?
"It took from 9.30 Saturday morning until 1am Sunday Morning - a long time".
What point did you realise that the school was flooding?
"I realised when the water started coming in at about 1.30pm. You couldn’t see the playing fields, no tarmac, no staff car park, all you could see was water".
How did you feel when you saw the flood water?
“I couldn’t believe it. I come from Blackpool where we are surrounded by the sea. It was like looking out to sea as all you could see was water coming into the school yard. I was stunned. You have to think what can we do? All the people on Victoria Bridge such as the police rescue team were calm and they made me calm. I just carried on and did what I could”.
What else did you use to stop the flood water from coming in?
"We used blankets and logs and everything I could use from the garage in the yard. There were a couple of bags of coal which we used as well as plastic bags and clothing, everything that was available. We filled about 32 sandbags and the reason why it was 32 was because that was all we had.
How did you feel after you had saved the school?
Very happy because part of my job is to make sure that the school is safe and that the environment is clean for you to come back to school. I was delighted.
Interviews
A year after Storm Desmond many people in Kendal who had been flooded had only just returned to their homes. We wanted to find out more information and also find out how people who had been flooded had coped. We wrote some letters asking people about the flood and with Emma’s help we recorded them and shared them. We also interviewed staff at our school who were flooded. A big thank you to everyone who answered our letters and questions.
Our responses to interviewing people who had been flooded
“It made me happy because I was flooded too so I liked hearing their stories".
“I was shocked as I thought that it was just a little bit of water but it was a big bit of water".
“It was interesting I didn’t really know all of their stories before".
“It was phenomenal because I’ve never heard stories like that".
“I felt really sorry for the people who got flooded".
You can hear our
interview with
Mrs Gaunt here.
Advice
"Friends and family helped me and we had to stay at their houses. We went to my grandmas it was a bit crowded. My advice would be it’s not the end of the world keep on going it’s alright".
As a result of Storm Desmond many houses and businesses flooded in Kendal. Some of the pupils and staff at our school were also flooded. It was important that we all supported each other. Volunteers, community groups, churches and the local council helped people out and offered food and drink, shelter, help and friendship. One thing that we all agreed with in Year 5 is that friendship was really important.
Here are some of our tips in case you find yourself in a similar situation.
.
If there is a flood warning
Move as much upstairs as you can.
Try and use sandbags and barriers.
Phone to call for help.
Act on the advice given by the emergency services.
Make sure that everyone is safe.
Help each other.
Make sure all of your neighbours are alright.
Work as a team.
Be responsible.
Encourage and support each other.
Afterwards
Be kind and caring friends.
Make people feel better.
Look after them.
Be kind and give friends hugs.
Help people think of a silver lining.
Who helped you?
"At times like that everybody seems to pull together and help each other so although everyone on the street was flooded we were all helping each other. School was closed for two days and on the days that it was closed lots of friends from school came to help and people from round the corner helped each other. Everyone mucked in together. The community around us was amazing".
