The British Red Cross has today launched an urgent appeal for people affected by unprecedented and devastating floods across England in the past two weeks. The flooding has wreaked havoc across England, destroying homes and livelihoods, and bringing misery to hundreds of thousands of people.

The Red Cross has been working in all affected areas since the flooding began. Our volunteers have run rest centres, supported the emergency services, and provided emergency goods and bedding to those evacuated from their homes. Thousands of homes are still without power and water. A Red Cross team has started delivering drinking water to homes without a water supply in Gloucestershire.

Money raised from the Red Cross National Floods Appeal will go to help communities in hardship rebuild their lives. We will work closely with affected communities, local, regional and UK government to ensure the money goes to those who have been hardest hit. The Fund will target vulnerable people most in need.

Tesco, for whom the British Red Cross is Charity of the Year, have donated £100,000 to the appeal and a further £100,000 has been donated from the British Red Cross' Disaster Fund.

Says Sir Nicholas Young, Chief Executive of the British Red Cross: "I have been to see parts of the country that have been completely devastated by the floods. Streets are several feet deep in filthy brown water and the water is lapping in though ground floor windows. The country has not seen flooding on this scale since 1947 and there appears to be more unsettled weather which is likely to bring further problems. Red Cross volunteers have been doing a fantastic job, many up all night in rest centres, or brining in fresh supplies to affected areas."

To donate to the British Red Cross National Floods Appeal go to www.redcross.org.uk/floods or call 0845 054 7200

Donations can also be made by post to:
British Red Cross (APPEAL NAME)
FREEPOST RLSA - XLXK-SXKZ
London EC2Y 9AL

The British Red Cross helps people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. We are part of a global voluntary network, responding to conflicts, natural disasters and individual emergencies. We enable vulnerable people in the UK and abroad to prepare for and withstand emergencies in their own communities. And when the crisis is over, we help them to recover and move on with their lives.

For further information

Jack Durrell
Contact number 020 7877 7043