NFU Employs Special Advisor To Help Flood Affected Cumbrian Farmers

The NFU has employed a farm recovery coordinator whose job for the next six months will be to assist farmers to get land back into production following the floods in Cumbria last November.

Sandy Brown is based at Mitchells Lakeland Livestock Centre in Cockermouth. Sandy will act as a focal point for farmers to guide them in the direction of the most appropriate help and advice.

Farmers that have been affected by the floods and would like her assistance should contact Sandy on 01900 822 016.   Sandy will help farmers with the following:

• Coordinate the removal of unwanted gravel from farmers’ fields.
• Source three to five days of free business advice for those looking to review their business.
• Explore the possibilities of putting flood affected land into Natural England’s Higher Level Stewardship scheme.
• Provide guidance to those farmers who received an offer from Defra to purchase land flood affected land.

Sandy, who lives in Cockermouth, was a victim of the flood herself – her home being severely damaged. 

She said: “I have been eating and sleeping floods in my working and personal life since those fateful two days back in November. I know many of the farmers in the area very well, having worked with them before the floods in my former role as a Natural England Catchment Sensitive Farming Officer and after the floods as Natural England’s flood co-ordinator. 

“Involving the farming community in providing solutions to flood damage and to the future challenge of watercourse and flood risk management is part of my new role which will be hugely rewarding, I hope to make a real difference.”

Her new role was identified as a priority by Cumbria County Council’s Environment Flood Recovery Group in response to the floods. The post has been established by the NFU with funding awarded from the Cumbria Community Foundation.

Robert Sheasby NFU North West Regional Director said “We welcome Sandy into this unique role at the NFU, which will see farmers affected by the floods benefit from her knowledge to help get their businesses back towards normality.   The flooding was unprecedented, and that has required an unprecedented approach to helping those affected farm businesses get going again.”

Andy Beeforth, Director of the Cumbria Community Foundation, who operate the Flood Recovery Fund said "We're delighted to see Sandy getting stuck in.  The floods have caused a whole range of complications and issues for farmers.  She will be providing direct support to individual farm households as well as communicating lessons learnt with key decision makers ". 

Paul Feehily, Cumbria County Council’s Chair of the Environment Flood Recovery Group, said:

“Many of the affected farmers have individual and unique challenges and problems, so there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Sandy will be able to work closely with them to help resolve their outstanding issues as well as help look to the future.”

Notes to editors

If you’d like to interview Sandy, please call the NFU Regional Office on 01695 554900.