Volunteers helping to clean-up businesses on flood-hit Kirkstall Road are appealing for tradespeople to help donate their time and expertise to help.
Many businesses along Kirkstall Road are still cleaning up after the Boxing Day floods saw the River Aire burst its banks and plunge the area into several feet of water. It’s understood some businesses are still without power.
Volunteers leading the clean-up operation are appealing for more support – and are asking Leeds tradespeople to help out where they can.
Volunteer Phil Marken said local small businesses, many of whom were not insured for flood damage, were desperate for help:
“We want to hear from skilled tradespeople who are willing to donate one or more days of their time, which will be taken, compiled into a directory and then brokered out to the most needy residents and small traders who have no insurance and desperately need help to get their lives back on track.
“If you are a tradesperson get in touch, or if you know a tradesperson who might give a day of their time, please let them know about our appeal so they can get signed up and do their bit to help out.
“Many of these small independent businesses have been devastated by the floods and some will simply not recover without our help.”
@WLDispatch builders, landscapers, tilers, decorators, electricians, plumbers, surveyors – you name it, we need it! 😉
— KirkstallCleanUp(@teamkirkstall) January 5, 2016
Helpers are also still needed for the cleanup.
We're in high demand today but have few people on the ground. Can you help? Come to HQ now! @EmmaMBearman @WLDispatch @BBCLeeds RT
— KirkstallCleanUp(@teamkirkstall) January 6, 2016
If you can help go down to the volunteer centre at Open Source Arts off Kirkstall Road and get registered, put in a team and kitted out. More than 600 volunteers have helped out with the clean-up so far. More details on the Kirkstall Flood Clean-Up website. Volunteers can be contacted here.
Council officers are due to update Kirkstall Road traders on the floods recovery operation at 9.30am on Friday morning at Viva Cuba.