Unsung flood heroes saluted

A group of unsung heroes who swung into action during the Cumbrian floods have been recognised for the first time with a unique award.

Roy Campbell, representing staff at The Shepherds Hotel and Restaurant, Cockermouth, collected the Bernard Gooch Tourism Personality of the Year Award at annual general meeting of Cumbria Tourism on Wednesday 23rd June.

They were nominated by Cumbria Tourism’s Commercial Members Committee – consisting of leading businessmen and women in tourism throughout the county - who choose a winner every year for their positive contribution to the industry.

Staff at The Shepherds worked around the clock both in the immediate aftermath of the floods and in the weeks that followed when the hotel – part of the former Sheep and Wool Centre - became an unofficial refuge centre, close to the outskirts of the flood-stricken town on the A66.

As the rain came down on Thursday November 19th 2009, scores of people from residents flooded out of their homes, health agencies, police and other local authorities, gravitated to the hotel as a major meeting point.

On the night of the floods alone, the hotel’s rooms quickly filled up with flooded out residents so staff had to work tirelessly throughout the night to accommodate over 120 more who needed shelter. Mr Campbell singled out hotel managers Pam Robertson and Emma Nicholson for particular praise - opening the doors of its neighbouring centre to create a large refuge hall for flood victims and getting to work sourcing mattresses and blankets. The hotel’s kitchens also went into overdrive -keeping spirits up with endless rounds of hot food and drinks.

Mr Campbell and wife Liz, are owners of the hotel, which is part of a company called Argyll Holidays. As time went on, they drafted in staff from their operations in Scotland to help in the recovery effort.

Mr Campbell commented: “I am particularly delighted to accept the award on behalf of the staff - given the names that have previously won the award and their commitment and dedication to tourism. For the first time ever, this award is not going to an individual, but to a whole team. Everyone rolled their sleeves up and got on with it. They were doing long hours and not a single person once complained, even though some of them were flooded out themselves.”

“It was a 24/7 job and we became a community focal point. People kept arriving with donations like clothes and bedding and even a local dentist brought us toothbrushes and toothpaste.”

“The biggest eye opener for me was the generosity of people and local companies with people phoning up and saying, ‘we’ve got such and such, can you use it?’ The help we had was unbelievable.”

In the weeks that followed the centre also became a base for local companies flooded out of their premises, as well as insurance companies, police and local authorities like Allerdale Borough Council, and medical teams giving out vaccinations.

The award for the Tourism Personality of the Year is presented in memory of Bernard Gooch, who was the first Chairman of Cumbria Tourism’s Commercial Members Committee. Previous winners include Sir Chris Bonnington, and the late Francis Coulson, and Brian Sack, who pioneered The Sharrow Bay Hotel at Ullswater.

Tony Brunskill, outgoing chairman of Cumbria Tourism’s Commercial Members Committee, said: “The team at The Shepherds Hotel have been selected for this award in recognition of their outstanding humanity and charity. When their community needed it most, they rose to the occasion. They were on the front line that night and in the hard days and weeks that followed - going above and beyond the call of duty and their job descriptions and working outside of their normal patterns. This is just one of many stories of how the tourism industry helped in the recovery from the floods, and for their generosity and selflessness, we salute them all with this award.”

Yesterday’s AGM also saw the re-election of broadcaster Eric Robson as Chairman of Cumbria Tourism and outgoing Commercial Members’ Chairman, Tony Brunskill handed the baton to Mandy Dixon, Manager of the new K Village Centre in Kendal to lead members’ in the year ahead.

In addition, the six tourism figures that were successfully elected onto Cumbria Tourism’s Commercial Members’ Committee were; Richard Foster from the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal; Peter Frost-Pennington from Muncaster Castle & The Pennington Hotels; Lucy Fuller from the Sun Inn in Kirkby Lonsdale; Philip Johnston from the Coniston & Coppermines Lakes Cottages; David Stanning from Zeffirellis in Ambleside; and Harriet Sykes from Long Byres in Talkin Head near Brampton.  

A full list of Cumbria Tourism’s current Commercial Members’ Committee can be found by visiting www.cumbriatourism.org. 

ENDS