a couple from Eure helping the victims

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The images are known to everyone: endless lines of volunteers, buckets and brooms in hand, coming to lend a helping hand to the Spanish victims after the terrible floods which hit the country.

Pour Vincent and Laëtitia Celeminthese images are now also engraved in their memories.

The couple who live in the town of Bazincourt-sur-Epte did not hesitate long before traveling the 1,500 km that separate their village from Norman Vexin from the Valencia region in Spain.

“I am of Spanish origin, and as soon as I saw the images on television, I knew I had to act.”

Almost on a whim, or rather a whim, this electrician took several days off to go to alfalfa and come to the aid of his wife Spaniards disaster victims.

An express trip

The trip will be express with only two days spent there, and the expedition quickly takes on the appearance of a race against the clock.

First: don't arrive empty-handed.

“In just a few hours, we toured the main supermarkets in Gisors to ask them to provide us with equipment and foodstuffs.”

The managers of several brands in Gisors – Point P, Carrefour Market, Mr Bricolage, Intermarché – responded favorably to the couple’s requests.

“We really want to say thank you to them, because without them our trip would not have had much meaning,” greets the couple who in the space of a few hours were able to charge their Peugeot 206 of the contents of several trolleys collected from these major brands.

On site, everything accelerates

Once the suitcase is packed, with plenty of room for oilskins, boots and work clothes, head to Spain.

Nearly 16 hours of travel are swallowed up by the two fifty-year-olds.

The couple's wait turned out to be very short.

Arriving there, they are automatically taken by the local authorities for a mission within the ropes of Vincent Celemin.

“As an electrician, I was asked to repair the electrical system of a gymnasium.”

Although the couple will end up resting in a hotel, both have not slept much, lending a helping hand upon their arrival after the long kilometers traveled from the France.

“People have lost everything”

Having just returned in the middle of last week, they returned with mixed feelings.

“What we saw there was terrible. People have lost everything. The most striking thing, beyond the flooding, is the mud. They are everywhere.”

Apocalyptic scenes counterbalanced by the tremendous outpouring of generosity observed by the couple on site.

“Young people are often criticized for not knowing how to do anything outside of video games and social networks. I can tell you that it's not true! We saw young people from all over Europe who did not count their hours to help the disaster victims”

Soon a second trip?

As for the controversies arising on site concerning the lack of reaction from the services ofSpanish statethe couple displays a more nuanced position.

“Honestly, given the scale of the disaster, no one can really be prepared to handle this. However, we saw a lot of police, firefighters and soldiers.”

Despite the fatigue and the ordeal linked to the express journey, the couple does not rule out leaving for a second time to help the population.

“Everything will depend on what we manage to collect in terms of food and material donations. If people donate and support our initiative, we will go again. We make it clear that we do not want any financial donations, only food or equipment,” explains Vincent, who is launching a real call for solidarity.

Will it be heard?

Those who wish to donate materials or foodstuffs to Laëtitia and Vincent Celemin (no monetary donations will be accepted by the couple) to finance a new volunteer trip in support of the Spanish disaster victims can contact Vincent on 06 84 32 94 77 .

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