In December 2015 Storm Desmond wrought devastating damage on the landscapes and communities of Cumbria. Rising global temperatures are responsible for the rising incidences of heavy rainfall events, not just in Cumbria but nationally and globally.

We commissioned director, Dom Bush and editor Simon Sylvester to create a short film to show the impact of flooding events on a community and what, in their own words, the possible solutions may be in the future.

(Run time 14 minutes)

Watch the film on YouTube here or click on the image below

It provided a look through the lens, with an intimate, personal perspective, at members of the communities of Glenridding and Patterdale. Their words tell the stories of the impact of this flooding event on their lives, their livelihoods and the landscape.

Editor, Simon Sylvester, said: “I discovered the community of Glenridding second-hand, through the footage that Dom was bringing back from the field. I was genuinely humbled and awestruck at their resilience and their courage. It's a tight community, and they're working together to build a future — even against the sense that these floods will return. Their humility was an inspiration.”

We held a small film premiere on the opening night of the Kendal Mountain Festival which was attended by members of Glenridding and Patterdale community, donors to our flood appeal, staff and volunteers. 

Ruth Kirk, Fell Care Project Officer said: “Many people were shocked and devastated by the damage wrought by Storm Desmond. Friends of the Lake District commissioned this film to allow the voices of communities, on whom weather events like this most impact, to be heard by the wider world.”

We’d like to take the opportunity to thank Greenpeace Environmental Trust who were a supporting funder on this project.

View more of our featured film club films here