Keswick Meeting House flooded

The Meeting house in Keswick has been flooded following Storm Desmond

Keswick Meeting Room on 6 December. | Photo: Nicky Moss.

Friends in the north-west of England are tidying up in the wake of the most severe flooding in the area for many years.

The main Quaker building affected by Storm Desmond was Keswick Meeting House. It was flooded on Saturday 5 December.

Bill Bewley, warden at the Meeting house, said: ‘The river level at 9.00am was high, but had half a metre to go before we topped the new defence. Even at 2.00pm the Meeting house was fine, but in twenty minutes the river rose by a metre. By 4.30pm I was standing in a wet suit and the water was up to my chest,’ he added.

Wendy Bewley said: ‘Most Friends in the area were surrounded by water but not affected. A few were evacuated from their homes. The water is now out of the Meeting house and we are clearing up. Some plaster has swollen and a door has warped.’

Tricia Jagger, a Friend from Appleby, said: ‘There is one thing that stands out for me and that is the way everyone is mucking in and helping each other out.  People have been so generous, helping in every little way. We go down in spirit but very soon come up.’

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