Thanks for the goodie bags, say flood victims

Jul 25 2007 By Jasbir Authi, Birmingham Mail

MANY flooded city families were delighted to receive goodie bags filled with supplies from local companies and delivered by the Birmingham Mail.

The bags were delivered after local businesses answered a rallying call from the Mail to donate what they could.

Several big-hearted businesses responded immediately giving tea, coffee, juice, water, chocolate, biscuits, eye drops and savoury goods to the needy.

Supermarket giant Waitrose, in Hall Green, donated crates full of luxury biscuits, juices and tea, while Sainsbury's based in Selly Oak gave bottled water.

Chocolate giant Cadbury's gave hundreds of bars of chocolates which were eagerly received by grateful children living along Forman's Road and Percy Road in Sparkhill - the areas affected when the River Cole burst its bank last Friday July 20.

Royal Sweets, which specialises in Asian sweets, in Ladypool Road gave several boxes of savoury mixes while the Birmingham Mail donated coffee.

Flood victim and mother-of-seven Zahida Bi, aged 40, burst into smiles together with four of her young sons as she was handed a goodie bag.

She said: "Many thanks to the Mail and all the companies.

"This makes me and the children so happy."

Neighbour and pensioner Sabir Hussain, aged 72, said: "Thank you so much for this food, it's so kind."

Soldiers from the Regular and Territorial Army have been working alongside their colleagues in the blue light agencies to support the flood relief operation in the West Midlands, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.

Around 40 soldiers from 37 Signal Regiment based at Redditch, 35 Signal Regiment based at Coventry, 30 Signal Regiment based at Nuneaton and the Telford based Royal and Mercian Lancastrian Yeomanry (RMLY) answered a request for military assistance in Worcestershire and the surrounding areas.

Ambulance chiefs today praised Midland car giant Land Rover for donating some of their vehicles to help in the flooding emergency.

Land Rover provided eight 4x4s which were used to transport people and supplies in areas where ambulance vehicles could not go over the weekend.

Archbishop Vincent Nichols, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Birmingham, said victims of the flooding were in the thoughts and prayers of local churchgoers.

He said: "I am confident that the priests and the parish communities are playing their part in the local effort. Many people will be keeping these situations in their thoughts and prayers."