Prince Charles and charities show support for flood-affected farmers

Prince Charles and numerous farming charities met with flood-affected farmers
Prince Charles and numerous farming charities met with flood-affected farmers

Numerous farming charities and Prince Charles have met with farmers affected by the recent flooding of the River Derwent.

Farms in the Matlock valley were damaged by flood water up to seventeen foot higher than usual, losing stock and forage.

Prince Charles and charities, such as the Princes Countryside Fund and Forage Aid, met with local families who had been affected.

Families at the meeting included Peter and Deborah Bettney, Michael and Ellie Wynne, Dean Greatorex, Ken and Kimberley Trickett, and Stuart Fairfax.

The Prince held a conversation with the farmers about the flooding, and the impact that it has had on their families, their livestock and their business.

Also round the table were Lord Edward Manners who owns the Haddon Estate, Claire Saunders and Diane Spark of the Prince’s Countryside Fund, Bill Young from the Addington Fund, and Andrew Ward from Forage Aid, who had assisted some of the flooded farms.

In response to the flooding in October, the Prince’s Countryside Fund released £50,000 from their Emergency Fund to support farming families whose livelihoods and farms had been affected.

Michael Wynn, who farms in Snitterton, said: “We lost 350 bales of silage in the worst floods I have ever seen.

“It was marvellous that the Prince of Wales took the time to visit us with all his other commitments and we are now getting sorted with the help of Forage Aid.”

It comes as the Met Office states that 63 flood warnings and 175 flood alerts are in place this week.