Buckinghamshire endured its wettest September on record last month, with severe flooding causing significant distress to local businesses and residents. The county, which recorded 176mm of rainfall—318 percent above the long-term average—suffered substantial damage as rivers overflowed and more than 500 properties were inundated on September 22.
The torrential downpours led to widespread flooding as rivers burst their banks, forcing families to evacuate and businesses to scramble for survival. The impact on the local economy has been harsh, with many small businesses struggling to recover before the crucial holiday season.
Awake Organics, a natural hair, skin, and body care company based on a family-run farm near Olney, was one of the affected businesses. The company’s director, Melissa Kimbell, described the aftermath as “a crisis” after floodwaters surged through their facility.
Her husband, James, first received a call late on September 22, reporting that a foot of water was running through the office “like a river.” When he attempted to reach the site, he found the roads impassable due to abandoned vehicles and deep water.
“I couldn’t make it more than ten minutes from home. It looked apocalyptic,” James recalled. Meanwhile, Melissa, who was visiting family in Canada, woke to a barrage of WhatsApp messages and photos from the team documenting the devastation on September 23.
The damage at Awake Organics was extensive, with water seeping from every direction—off the fields, through an overflowing culvert, and even gushing from a drain “like a geyser.” The team immediately set to work, salvaging furniture, ripping out floors, and drying documents to minimize the impact. Fortunately, the company’s “nothing on the floor” policy limited stock loss, though the clean-up efforts have been an exhausting process.
Adding to the difficulties, the landowner’s insurance company has visited only once due to the overwhelming number of claims in the region, leaving the team to handle most of the restoration themselves. While community support helped in the early days of the flooding, Melissa noted that “everyone’s just trying to tread water now.”
For small businesses like Awake Organics, the months leading up to Christmas are critical. The period usually sees peak sales that determine future growth opportunities. However, due to the flooding, the company is far behind schedule, with its team squeezed into the only part of the building that escaped the damage.
Melissa expressed her gratitude for the ongoing support from customers, which has been a significant morale boost. “My hope is that when you open your order, you’d never know we are really rolling up our sleeves over here,” she wrote in an email to customers.
The Met Office confirmed that last month was the wettest September since records began in 1833. Some areas in the East of England experienced particularly intense rainfall, with a rain gauge in nearby Bedfordshire recording 12.6mm in just 15 minutes.
“This experience has given me a whole new appreciation for communities who have endured far worse,” said Melissa, reflecting on the future challenges posed by climate change. “I wouldn’t want to go through this again.”
