All residents received a small coupon to fill in their mailboxes. 15,000 euros, collected by the association “Blendecques disasters” thanks to donations from all over France, which the victims will share and spend in local shops in the form of vouchers for the Christmas holidays. A little boost that does good, a year later after the floods in Audomarois, and while most of the residents are still in the works.
“It’s solidarity!”
“It’s solidarity! It’s surprising. We’re going to buy meat, food”smile Joëlle and Jean-Michel. “There is damage to everything, we don’t realize it. Even a pair of shoes costs”say the retirees. Their living room is still full of bills, the bathroom work is not finished. And it's the same for everyone. So for the holidays, the Blendecques disaster association decided to renew an action already carried out last May: at the time 36,000 euros had been collected, distributed among 500 inhabitants, i.e. vouchers worth 70 euros per household.
This time, we don't know yet. The 15,000 euros will be equitably shared according to the number of registered participants. The money comes from donations from individuals, municipalities, events organized in the town… Residents have until November 30 to register, they will be able to collect the vouchers in mid-December. They will then be usable until mid-January.
A boost for residents… And traders
What makes this action special is that these vouchers will be spent at merchants in Blendecques. There are 24 partners, between the bakery, the two butchers, the restaurant… “They could have issued vouchers to go to Auchan, while there it remains local, among all those who were affected. And even those who did not have water, were economically affected”says Sylvie, the baker. At her house, 80 cm of water was detected. She lost seven weeks of work. “The traders, like the residents, have been affected. And above all, they have suffered a drop in turnover for a year. We have many Blendecquois who have left Blendecques, others inevitably have financial problems because insurance is not haven't reimbursed everything if our bakery closes tomorrow, it's an additional disaster.adds David Capitaine, the vice-president of the stricken Blendecques.
The head of the association is well aware that this small gesture will in no way solve all the problems for the residents. But it’s a helping hand, financial and also psychological help. “You always lose something. The restaurateur, for three months, didn't see anyone in his restaurant. How do you expect people to want to go to the restaurant? So if people use our vouchers, make a little restaurant… So much the better”concludes David Capitaine.
