Press release: Communities urged to log on for new flood films

From February, the ‘Flood Friday’ films will be released on the first Friday of every month throughout the year and will focus on what residents and businesses can do to ‘Prepare, Act, Survive’ in the event of flooding.

Created by the Environment Agency’s Flood Resilience Team community engagement officers, the campaign is aimed at helping those who live, work and study in the region be more flood resilient.

The short films will focus on different aspects of flooding including:

  • how to stay safe in a flood
  • how to check if you are at risk of flooding
  • what is surface water flooding?
  • who to report flooding issues to

The first film focuses on how to check your flood risk and is already available on the Environment Agency’s Youtube channel and will be shared through social media.

Community engagement officers Taryn Al-Mashgari (Tyne and Wear), Sarah Pearce (Cleveland) and Anna Caygill (Durham and Darlington) worked together on the project. Taryn said:

These videos will be short and informative and include links to websites and organisations we work closely with to ensure communities have reliable information to help them understand, prepare for and recover from flooding.

From our work with communities, we know how devastating it is to be flooded and the impact it has on lives and livelihoods, so we’re working hard to raise awareness of how to plan for such events.

As well as being shared on the Environment Agency’s Twitter and Youtube channels, they will be available on local authority websites and social media and shared with other partners including the social housing, community and voluntary sector.

To see the video visit Youtube

Communities can take three simple steps to help protect them, their homes and property from the devastating effects of flooding. Visit the gov.uk web pages to:

  • check your postcode and find out if you are at risk of flooding
  • sign-up for free flood warnings
  • view and save the three point flood plan so you know how to Prepare. Act. Survive in a flood


Press release: Communities urged to log on for new flood films

From February, the ‘Flood Friday’ films will be released on the first Friday of every month throughout the year and will focus on what residents and businesses can do to ‘Prepare, Act, Survive’ in the event of flooding.

Created by the Environment Agency’s Flood Resilience Team community engagement officers, the campaign is aimed at helping those who live, work and study in the region be more flood resilient.

The short films will focus on different aspects of flooding including:

  • how to stay safe in a flood
  • how to check if you are at risk of flooding
  • what is surface water flooding?
  • who to report flooding issues to

The first film focuses on how to check your flood risk and is already available on the Environment Agency’s Youtube channel and will be shared through social media.

Community engagement officers Taryn Al-Mashgari (Tyne and Wear), Sarah Pearce (Cleveland) and Anna Caygill (Durham and Darlington) worked together on the project. Taryn said:

These videos will be short and informative and include links to websites and organisations we work closely with to ensure communities have reliable information to help them understand, prepare for and recover from flooding.

From our work with communities, we know how devastating it is to be flooded and the impact it has on lives and livelihoods, so we’re working hard to raise awareness of how to plan for such events.

As well as being shared on the Environment Agency’s Twitter and Youtube channels, they will be available on local authority websites and social media and shared with other partners including the social housing, community and voluntary sector.

To see the video visit Youtube

Communities can take three simple steps to help protect them, their homes and property from the devastating effects of flooding. Visit the gov.uk web pages to:

  • check your postcode and find out if you are at risk of flooding
  • sign-up for free flood warnings
  • view and save the three point flood plan so you know how to Prepare. Act. Survive in a flood


News story: UK technology at the heart of successful launch

Credit: Earth-i.

The Hook and Loop Hold Down and Release Mechanism was used during the launch of CBNT-2, Earth-i’s pre-production prototype satellite of its upcoming satellite constellation.

The new commercial constellation – called Vivid-i – will be the first of its kind to provide full-colour video; and the first European-owned constellation able to provide both video and still images.

The multiple satellites within the Vivid-i Constellation will significantly increase the ability of companies and institutions to monitor, track and analyse activities, patterns of life and changes at any location on earth.

The Hook and Loop Hold Down and Release Mechanism was funded by the UK Space Agency’s National Space Technology Programme with a £35,000 grant and developed by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. It is a new type of release mechanism which uses the dual lock type of Velcro to hold down and release the solar panels of the satellite.

Dr Graham Turnock, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, said:

“Today’s launch is a significant moment for the UK and global space industries with Earth-i’s progress being tracked across the world. Earth-i is an exciting and innovative British company and is a fine example of our thriving space sector.

“The Government’s recently published Industrial Strategy set out a clear vision for the UK to become the world’s most innovative nation and we are working with industry to capture 10% of the global space market by 2030.”

The prototype satellite, designated CBNT-2 by manufacturer Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL), was launched on the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle from the Sriharikota rocket launch centre operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation, located in South East India, at 3.58am GMT.

CBNT-2 is a technology demonstration mission, operated by SSTL, and will be referred to as VividX2 by the Earth-i team.

It will demonstrate and prove technology and processes for Earth-i’s forthcoming constellation including tasking, data downlinks to ground stations, image quality and the complex motion control systems that enable the spacecraft to capture video from space.

At the heart of the new satellite is an Ultra High Definition (UHD) camera which will capture high-resolution images for any location on Earth – and film up to two minutes at a time of video which can show moving objects such as vehicles, vessels and aircraft.

Find out more about the UK Space Agency’s National Space Technology Programme.



Government response: Nottingham station fire

Transport Minister Jo Johnson said:

This has clearly been a devastating incident and my thoughts are with all those affected.

I am grateful for the courage of both the emergency services who tackled this fire and those staff who evacuated the station and kept the public safe.

Thankfully it appears that nobody was injured but it is clear that this will have a disruptive effect on passengers who use Nottingham station.

Rail media enquiries



Press release: Appointment of Peter Schofield as Permanent Secretary at the Department for Work and Pensions

The Cabinet Secretary, with the agreement of the Prime Minister, has today announced that Peter Schofield, currently Director General of Finance at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), has been appointed as the new Permanent Secretary on Sir Robert Devereux’s retirement later this month.

Welcoming Peter Schofield’s appointment Sir Jeremy Heywood said:

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Peter Schofield as the new Permanent Secretary for the Department for Work and Pensions. Peter has done an excellent job as Finance Director General at the department and will bring to his new role a wealth of relevant knowledge and experience. I look forward to working with him as he starts his work delivering DWP’s important mission.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Sir Robert Devereux for his excellent leadership of the department during his time as Permanent Secretary.

The Rt Hon Esther McVey, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said:

I look forward to welcoming Peter Schofield as DWP’s new Permanent Secretary and to working with him on ensuring we continue to deliver a welfare system that supports people when they need it, and helps them fulfil their potential – no matter who they are or where they come from.

Peter Schofield said:

DWP is a remarkable organisation – in scale, reach, ability to deliver change, and the motivation and pride of my 80,000 colleagues providing high quality support to over 22 million citizens. It is a huge honour to be given the opportunity to lead DWP and support the new Secretary of State and her ministerial team, and to build on Robert’s outstanding leadership over the last 7 years. I can’t wait to start.

This appointment has been agreed by the Prime Minister, and follows an external recruitment competition.

Peter Schofield has held the role of Finance Director General in DWP since July 2016.

Arrangements for appointing a successor to fill his previous role will be announced in due course.

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