West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin joined Upton people to celebrate ten years since the terrible floods which hit the region in 2007. Firefighters, Malvern Hills District Council and the Environment Agency set up stalls to talk to local people about flood resilience and to showcase the work already carried out to protect Upton’s homes and businesses. School pupils from Upton Primary School visited the flood wall in the town and learned about the major flooding which swamped the town ten years ago. Harriett commented: “I spent a lot of time with local people in 2007 who had been affected by flooding and the sudden summer rain was devastating for so many people. “The flood defences in New Street and the stunning wall by the Kings Head make a tremendous difference and have helped to keep Upton open for business through some of the worst conditions. “It was interesting to hear that most of the pupils who visited the event weren’t even alive when the 2007 floods swept through the town and this was a great way of sharing our recent history with local children. “There are still homes which are affected both in Upton and in other parts of West Worcestershire so it is important to have events like these to celebrate our achievements but also to keep the issue in the minds of local people. “I will continue to press for permanent schemes in areas like Tenbury and Severn Stoke and support efforts to encourage people to use individual property protection measures where necessary to reduce the impact of major flooding.” Photo: Environment Agency’s James Spry and Nicola Manley with Harriett Baldwin MP