Looking back on 25 years supporting flooded communities

23 June 2026

As she steps away from frontline work, Mary Long-Dhonau, aka Flood Mary, reflects on more than 25 years helping flood-hit communities prepare, recover and build resilience.

For several years I’ve been travelling into communities across the country with the FloodMobile – an impossible-to-miss demonstration vehicle – visiting towns and villages that, more often than not, are going through some of their toughest times.

But this work didn’t start with the FloodMobile. I have spent more than 25 years working in and with communities who live at flood risk, much of that time focused on raising awareness of property flood resilience (PFR). I recently came across one of the first presentations I gave on the subject dating back to the early 2000s. Even then, the message was the same: helping people understand what they can do to prepare, better protect their home, and recover after being flooded.

In those early days, I would travel to village halls, often carrying examples of PFR measures so I could show people what they looked like and how they worked. It was practical, hands-on and often informal but it mattered. For many people, it was the first time they had seen that something could actually be done.

When I was given the opportunity to be involved in an Environment Agency-led demonstration project focused on raising awareness of PFR, I jumped at it. I was asked how I would approach community engagement for the Ox-Cam Pathfinder. I remember thinking that what people really needed was something tangible; something they could see, walk through and ask questions about.

That’s where the idea of a flood house on wheels came from: a practical, mobile space packed with resilience and recoverability measures, showing not just how to better protect a home, but how to make it easier to recover afterwards. That’s how the FloodMobile was born.

Over time, I have seen the devastation flooding causes to so many; not just to homes and belongings but to people too. The emotional impact can be overwhelming and, so often, when people needed practical human support, there was nowhere obvious to turn. The FloodMobile became a place where people could come, sit down and talk. Sometimes they wanted practical advice: what to do next, how to clean up, how to prepare for future flooding or help with insurance. Other times, they just needed to talk to someone who understands what they are going through.

Over the years, I’ve parked up in countless communities, sometimes in bright sunshine, but mostly in the cold and wet. Thankfully, the latest FloodMobile is a very different experience, with proper heating and seating (thanks Flood Re!) – something both the people stepping inside and I are very grateful for.

Hundreds, or more like thousands, of conversations have since taken place. In the last three winters alone I’ve spoken to more than 3,000 people who had recently been flooded, with sometimes more than 200 visitors in a single session. Many of those conversations have been deeply emotional. Flooding is the most dreadful experience – I know having lived through it myself. The memories stay long after the water has gone. I’ve spoken to people who had lost irreplaceable memories, who didn’t know where to start.

Some stories stay with you

A lady in her eighties who returned home from her husband’s funeral only to be flooded that night. People diagnosed with serious illnesses while dealing with the aftermath of flooding in temporary accommodation. A man rescued from his roof by helicopter, who later told me how he couldn’t stop reliving that moment. And one couple, both aged 89, who lost absolutely everything, telling me, “We know we’re not here for much longer but now there will be nothing left behind to show that we ever lived.” He broke down, his wife broke down and so did I.

That’s why the FloodMobile mattered… and still does. It has never been about products or selling solutions but helping people understand their options: giving them the confidence to take steps that could make a real difference next time. PFR isn’t just about doors, barriers and pumps, but about preparedness, awareness and importantly recoverability – helping people regain some sense of control in a situation where you can feel anything but.

Over time, that work has extended beyond the FloodMobile. I’ve been fortunate to share these messages widely through radio, television and public speaking. That’s something I’ll always continue to do because the need for awareness hasn’t gone away (if anything, it’s growing).

Mary Long-Dhonau was recognised at CIWEM’s Spotlight Awards 2026, winning in the People category

I’ve also been incredibly honoured to be recognised by CIWEM, having been awarded an honorary fellowship for my work raising awareness of flood risk and PFR within communities. That has meant a great deal to me – not just personally but because it reflects how far the conversation around flood resilience has come.

More recently, I’ve focused on sharing what I’ve learned with others. In the spring, I delivered FloodMobile training at the National Flood School to around 80 people. The sessions were designed to give professionals a real understanding of how the FloodMobile works in practice: how to engage with communities, have difficult conversations and provide support in a way that is both practical and empathetic. We’ve also got a series of online training sessions planned, which is really encouraging. This is an incredibly important legacy, because real on-the-ground community engagement is a key part of the wider flood risk management picture.

And that brings me to now

This year, I’ve made the decision to step back from frontline FloodMobile work, with my final sessions having taken place at Flood & Coast 2026. It hasn’t been an easy decision. The FloodMobile has been a big part of my life. There have been long days and long journeys – sometimes six-hour drives, followed by hours talking to people, then the journey home (only to do it all again the next day elsewhere).

At 68 years old, it’s fair to say that it’s becoming a bit too much. It feels like the right time to move into a different phase where I can continue to share my knowledge without being constantly on the road.

But I’m not going anywhere – far from it! I will continue working across the sector, raising awareness, speaking, writing and supporting initiatives that help people better understand flood risk and what they can do about it. My website will remain a free resource for anyone who needs it, because access to practical information should never be a barrier.

If there is one thing I’ve learned from the FloodMobile, it is that people don’t need complicated answers. They need honest, straightforward support and advice, delivered with empathy and understanding. The FloodMobile is great for facilitating that. And perhaps that’s what I’m most proud of – not the miles travelled or the hours spent (though there have been plenty of both) but the fact that, in some small way, I’ve been able to help people feel a little less alone when it mattered most.

The FloodMobile may be moving into a new chapter with new faces, but the mission behind it very much continues and is something I will always look back on with a huge amount of pride.

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Learn more about property flood resilience.

Mary Long-Dhonau was recognised at CIWEM’s Spotlight Awards at Flood & Coast 2026, winning in the People category, which recognises individuals who have inspired, enabled, encouraged or facilitated the development of their peers in the sector, or crated safe, inclusive environments that contribute to the same purpose.

This article appeared in the Summer print edition of The Environment. Become a member of CIWEM today to gain access to the quarterly magazine, as well as digital access via MyCIWEM. Non-members can also access the monthly The Environment digital newsletter.

Mary Long-Dhonau is a property flood resilience advocate