Charity shop staff praised after saving Raynes Park flooded premises from worse fate

EXCLUSIVE

By Callum Cuddeford

 

The director of a children’s charity today praised his “hero” volunteers after they saved a charity shop from the worst of Monday’s flooding in Raynes Park.

Little Lives UK charity shop on Coombe Lane had nearly 15cm of flood water inside after a month’s rain in one day left the capital’s sewage system at bursting point.

Luckily shop volunteers Aneta Kaliszewska, 28, and Anela Pajic, 21, were on hand to block the doors with bags of clothes and anything else they could find to stop the worst of the damage, though costs are still expected to be up to £4000.

Little Lives UK director Frank Helemczy, 36, said: “It was a disaster, but it could have been much worse. If nobody was here all the clothes could have gone in, but they saved a lot.

“They did everything they could, they even had bags from the shop floor.

“They are the two heros.”

Mr Helemczy explained he first heard about the problems when he was out of London, so he called his friend to bring sandbags to the site.

But police blocks and the water made it impossible to get the sandbags there in time, leaving the two girls “fighting the water” on their own.

He also had volunteers in throughout Tuesday night to rip off the destroyed floor so they could reopen today.

Volunteer Aneta Kaliszewska, 28, said: “We were panicking, and we had the customers inside.

“The street was like a river, we closed the shop and tried to stop water from coming in.

“Each time a car went past the shop a massive wave hit the door and started coming in.”

Ms Kaliszewska also expressed her disappointment at people who thought it was funny to film the incident rather than offer any support.

She said: “I cried at some point because people were just walking past or videoing us and laughing.

“I was using a jar to get rid of the water and no one offered to help.

“Anela was very brave and was trying to make me laugh when I cried, she was very supportive. That was really amazing of her.”

Elsewhere in Raynes Park some cars were left under two feet of water, with emergency services attending to those stuck under a bridge.

Little Lives UK is a London’s children’s charity that supports disabled and disadvantaged children, working within communities to create projects that address their needs.

You can visit their website at Little Lives UK – Children’s Charity London | Help Children in Your Area