CRICKLADE is better prepared to deal with adverse weather conditions after it received a grant for special equipment.

Southern Electric Power Distribution’s Resilient Communities Fund awarded the town council more than £1,500 to buy emergency kits, evacuation packs and two-way radios for its emergency event volunteers.

The new kits will bolster Cricklade’s plan, designed to help the community respond to an emergency such as flooding or storms affecting the town’s electricity supply, and will enable its 17 emergency volunteers to assist the community in a crisis.

Tina Jones, town clerk, said: “Like many communities, Cricklade has a Community Resilience Plan which details how the town would respond in an emergency event, like a flood.

“We have a bank of volunteers who have been recruited to help out in these situations, and these emergency grab bags, evacuation packs and radios will better enable them to support local people while working in high pressure and highly emotional conditions.”

The Resilient Communities Fund is designed to help towns and villages be better prepared to deal with severe weather and other emergency situations and major incidents.

For further information on application criteria, visit ssepd.co.uk/resiliencefund

Stuart Hogarth, director of distribution for Southern Electric Power Distribution, said: “It’s fantastic to see Cricklade Town Council receive this money and put it to good use in a way that will benefit everybody in the town.

“Big businesses can play a significant role in supporting communities during times of crisis, and I’m pleased that in setting up this fund we’ve been able to help many towns and villages like Cricklade cope in emergency situations like floods and storms.”

SEPD established its £1m Resilient Communities Fund to help local communities plan for and deal with emergency situations, such as gale force winds, floods and power cuts caused by extreme weather events.

The deadline for the second round of applications is September 25, and community groups across central southern England can apply for grants between £500 and £20,000.