'Be prepared not scared' this September: month-long social media campaign to help Northamptonshire residents

Northamptonshire residents are being encouraged to 'be prepared not scared' throughout September as part of a national campaign.

The #30days30waysUK project aims to inspire and empower people to be ready for a wide range of risks and their consequences, such as flooding, fire and power cuts.

A council spokesman said: "This year more than ever, with the launch of the #NorthantsTogether campaign during the Covid-19 pandemic, we feel it is important to continue to build upon this community spirit and get people prepared for any kind of emergency."

Northamptonshire County Council and other local organisations have been involved in the scheme since 2015.

Throughout September, a daily preparedness theme is shared on social media through the hashtag #30days30waysUK linking to information and trusted resources by the council and partner organisations, including Northamptonshire Police and other emergency, health and voluntary services.

Campaign co-founders Joanne Maddams and Monika Al-Mufti said in a statement: “These are unprecedented times that highlight the importance of personal and community preparedness and resilience.

"As we collectively continue to control the spread of Covid-19 and deal with its wide-ranging impacts, other risks remain.

“There is a lot of excellent information and resources nationwide to help people to be better informed and prepared for all kinds of emergencies.

"Resilience is a culture of preparedness and there are small and easy steps everyone can take for their health and safety and that of their family, friends and neighbours.

“We are excited to once again share many inspiring preparedness messages and stories in addition to brilliant resources along with colleagues from across the UK every day during ‘September is Preparedness Month’.

"Never before has there been a more important time to communicate risk in a positive, constructive and empowering way.”