The driving force behind the West Somerset Flood Group, Dr Teresa Bridgeman, has been awarded the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

It was given for her services to flood preparations which go back to 2012-13 when flash floods hit the district for the first time in some years.

At the time, she lived in Roadwater, where the Washford River begins its course to Watchet, and was a parish councillor: “I knew the issues people were facing,” she said.

“I took ‘flooding’ on for the parish council. We then got the chance to work with the Environment Agency and county council to get some proper flood resilience measures in place.

“When there’s a flood, the response time isn’t the same as when you love slap next to a fire station. First Responders are great but we do have to take steps ourselves. The further out you live, the more you have to do for yourself as a community.”

With the floods on the Somerset Levels and moors came a watershed moment: “They are devastating, long-term and horrific for the people there but the focus was all on the Levels.

“Nobody stood up and said ‘what about West Somerset?’ We have floods too, and we have the coast. They’re never going to make national headlines but they are just as devastating.”

Other parish councils got on board to form the West Somerset Flood Group – currently there are 15 parish councils plus Horner and Allerford Flood Group.

They put together a report on flooding in West Somerset: “We needed to let everybody else know what our problems were and that we would appreciate some help,” said Dr Bridgeman, adding that Somerset Highways had been “fantastic” in its support.

She said the honour was for everyone: “It’s trite to say it but it really, really is about everybody.

“The MBE is all about the community. Everything I have tried to do over the past decade has been about the community getting their voices heard when it matters.

“I’m not a leader. I’m someone who helps people make connections and talk to each other. If I deserve the MBE for anything it’s in recognition of the time I’ve put into it.”

Dr Bridgeman moved to Taunton, meaning she can no longer serve as chair of the West Somerset Flood Group. However, the pandemic meant that the last AGM was cancelled so she cannot relinquish the office until later this year: “But I’m still lurking around,” she said.