RAIN Northamptonshire

20/10/2026

Delighted to have volunteered for the first BeFoodReady youth badge event, which saw more than 100 scouts enjoy practical flood risk, preparedness, resilience and recovery activities. Delighted to support our partners at Nene Rivers Trust to talk about natural flood management and where nature fits with slowing the flow. Such a great event.

20/10/2026

🌧️ Storm Austen: are you flood ready?

The first named storm has been announced - Storm Austen. With heavy rain expected in parts of the UK from late Thursday into Friday, take some time now to prepare.

✅ Check your flood risk and sign up for Environment Agency flood warnings.
✅ Create a household flood plan. Already have one? Revisit it so everyone knows what to do.
✅ Get your grab bag ready with essentials such as medication, a torch, phone charger and important contact details.

Download a free flood plan template from https://rainnorthants.co.uk/be-flood-ready/

Keep checking official updates as forecasts and conditions can change:
👉 Environment Agency flood alerts and warnings: https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/alerts-and-warnings
👉 Met Office weather warnings: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings

For more practical flood preparedness advice, visit www.floodmary.com

Stay vigilant, keep your plan handy and share this reminder with your friends and neighbours.

17/10/2026

Today, our project manager Sarah has joined the team from our project partners, Nene Rivers Trust, to volunteer at the BeFloodReady Scouts event, which is taking place in Raywell Park near Hull.

The day is bringing together over 100 young people - squirrels, beavers, subs, scouts and explorers - for a fun day of flood awareness activities and learning.

Through a series of fun, hands-on challenges, the young people will learn practical skills to help them understand flood risk, prepare for flooding and know what to do if it happens.

We have brought NRT's interactive 'sandlab' where the children can see how water flows and behaves through different terrains.

With around eight million properties in England (or one in four) projected to be at risk of flooding by 2050, helping the next generation to understand flood risk and gain the knowledge and confidence to be better prepared is increasingly important.

We are therefore very proud to join the many volunteers from across the flood resilience industry in hosting the very first event of its kind.

17/10/2026

Having re-visited Blacky More Park in East Hunsbury, we are certainly getting that autumn feeling! The cherry trees that we planted over the last 12-months have all survived the drought and are looking great, as we head into winter. 🍂

Well done to East Hunsbury Parish Council and the team at Wild About Wootton for your dedication in watering throughout the drier conditions this summer.

🌲🌳FREE TREE? 🌲🌳If you are considering adding a tree to your garden to help soak up rain water and also give beautiful shade in the summer, you'll be pleased to know we are planning to open a new Front Garden Forest tree planting scheme very soon! Watch this space for details on how you can register for a free tree for your garden - coming very soon! 🌲🌳

16/10/2026

Could you help your community become flood ready?

You could:
🏘️ Join a local flood action group.
🙋 Ask your council or parish council about volunteer flood warden opportunities.
📣 Share reliable flood advice with neighbours.
📝 Get involved in creating a community flood plan.

Flood wardens can help share information and support local preparedness. Their role depends on the local scheme, and volunteering should come with clear guidance and training.

Here at RAIN, our holistic approach to flood resilience brings community preparedness together with household support, natural flood management and physical resilience measures.

Why not start by finding out what is already happening locally where you live and work – and where your time or skills could help.

And as Flood Action Week draws to an end, we share a final reminder to undertake these three actions:

1. Set up free Environment Agency flood alerts for your home
2. Make a flood plan - download a free template here:https://rainnorthants.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Flood-Plan-Template.pdf
3. Create an emergency grab bag.

15/10/2026

Flood Action Week:

You may have heard of the term 'PFR' - it stands for Property Flood Resilience.

One aspect of PFR is physical measures and property-level adaptations that can help to reduce floodwater entering a building or and lessen the impact if water does find it's way in.

Examples include:
🚪 Flood doors and removable barriers.
🧱 Self-closing airbricks.
↩️ Non-return valves to reduce backflow through drainage.
🏠 Materials and fittings that are easier to clean, dry and repair.

The right combination depends on the building, its occupants and the type of flood risk. Every property and its requirements are therefore different .

RAIN’s approach in Harpers Brook and Wootton Brook started with understanding those risks via expert modelling and flood risk surveys, then working with specialist contractors to tailor measures for each property.

14/10/2026

Flood Action Week:

Could your garden make more space for rain? When rain lands on a paved surface, it can run straight towards a drain and, when the rainfall is heavy, quickly overwhelm it.

Planted areas can help some of that water soak into the ground first. So, depending on your space, you could explore:

🌿 Replacing some hard paving with planting.
🌧️ Creating a properly designed rain garden: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA0v3UerGtk
🌳 Planting a suitable tree in the right location.
💧 Choosing permeable surfaces when renewing a path or driveway.
🛢️ Capture as much water as possible using water buts.

Rain gardens are planted areas designed to collect runoff temporarily, helping manage rainfall close to where it lands. These changes can support wildlife and habitats too.

Here at RAIN, we not only provided primary schools in Harpers Brook and Wootton Brook catchments with 32 rain planters, but we also helped households plant their own RAIN gardens and trees to help reduce water run-off.

Start by looking at where water goes when it rains. Seek advice before changing drainage or directing water near buildings.

We've created this video to demonstrate how to plant and plant a wa...

13/10/2026

What would you put in your flood preparedness pack?

If you needed to leave home quickly, would your essentials be easy to find? A flood preparedness pack – or emergency grab bag – is a useful place to start.

Consider including:
🔦 A torch and spare batteries.
🔋 A phone charger and charged power bank.
💊 Essential medication and a list of prescriptions.
📄 Copies of important documents and contact numbers.
💧 Drinking water.
🧥 Warm clothing and waterproofs.
🩹 A first aid kit.

Keep it somewhere accessible and let everyone at home know where it is.

At Harpers Court in Brigstock, RAIN’s work has included providing personalised flood boxes for residents’ essential documents, medication and treasured items. Perhaps you could do the same.

And remember to check your pack regularly, including batteries and expiry dates. Keep important papers in waterproof bags and store precious items above potential floodwater levels.

12/10/2026

This Flood Action Week, take a few minutes to:

✅ Check your home’s flood risk.
✅ Sign up for free Environment Agency flood warnings where available: https://www.gov.uk/get-flood-warnings
✅ Keep an eye on Met Office weather warnings: https://weather.metoffice.gov.uk/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings #?date=2026-10-12

Environment Agency flood warnings don’t cover surface water flooding, so it’s important to use more than one source of information.

And remember, you don’t have to live beside a river to be at risk of flooding. The greatest level of risk comes from surface water following heavy rain, which can overwhelm drains and flow across roads, gardens and into homes.

If you're already signed up - check your contact details are up to date.

A little preparation now can help you act sooner.

05/09/2026

📢 Calling volunteers! Would you like to become a Flood Warden for your local community? 📢

If so, our colleagues at West Northamptonshire Council's Emergency Planning team are hosting a free, full-day training session on 2nd October and everyone is welcome to register.

The training will show you:
🔹 how to carry out flood warden duties,
🔹 teach you about the different flood types, causes and risks,
🔹 how to report flood issues, and
🔹 how you can help improve your community's resilience to floods.

If you'd like to take part, please register for a place by emailing: [email protected].

It takes place on 2nd October, from 10am-3:30pm at Northampton Active on Bedford Road.