Alan Robson

‘Fact, feeling and future’ is a new report published by the Diocese of Bath and Wells.  This article tells us that the  purpose of the report is to provide a snapshot of the impact and implications of the flooding to inform the diocesan response in the future as well as to inform national policy. The report opens with a picture of the village of Moorland under flood and a quote from clergy poignantly describing a sense of “utter disbelief. The feeling that rural life was simply not understood by those with power”. Key recommendations include plans for a major emergency flood fund, support for river widening and dredging, and more lobbying for government help. According to the report, 12 livestock farmers had to be completely evacuated and more than 1,000 cattle and 250 sheep rehoused – often across several other locations, and in the midst of calving and lambing. The Environment Agency estimated that 244 agricultural holdings had infrastructure problems. For those of you interested in rural ministry, this piece in the Telegraph has just been published – – a day spent with Alan Robson – a good friend of the RSN and Rose Regeneration – (Lincolnshire’s agricultural chaplain).