Bristol University is asking people who were caught up in the floods that hit Gloucestershire last year for their accounts of the event.  A new initiative – The Gloucestershire Floods Project – aims to record and document their experiences and memories to build a lasting record of how the floods affected those living in the area.

Dr Shelley Hales, who is running the project, said: “The floods that hit Gloucestershire in the summer were the worst natural disaster to hit the county for many years.  Thousands of people were affected.  For some the floods will have been a huge adventure, for others an inconvenience and for others a terrible tragedy as they lost possessions, homes and even friends and family. Long after the waters receded, we are all still feeling the effects.

“We’d like to invite people across the county to get involved in this important project.  All you have to do is to send us your own documentation of the floods.  This could be accounts of personal experiences, essays about the cause of the floods or the authorities’ response to the emergency, photographs or even video clips.

“You can also send creative responses: stories, poems, drawings, collages, performance, all media are acceptable.”

There will be CASH prizes in two categories: 1st (£50) and 2nd (£25) prizes for single entries and 1st (£100) and 2nd (£50) prizes for group entries.  Written compositions should be no more than 2,500 words.  The deadline is 18 April 2008. 

All the details, other entries and access to online chat groups (Click ‘login as guest’)

Or email shelley.hales@bristol.ac.uk or post entries to School of Humanities, University of Bristol, 11 Woodland Road, Bristol. BS8 1TB.