News
From RAIN to Resilience: Building a Lasting Legacy in Northamptonshire
“Every action matters.” That was one of the most powerful messages to come out of the Flood & Toast – Resilience & Innovation Community Awards, held in December 2025 to celebrate the individuals, schools, farmers and volunteers who are helping to make Northamptonshire more resilient to flooding.
From SuDS planters in schools to tree-planting weekends, wetland creation to neighbourly care during storm events, the day celebrated just some of the incredible stories that define what the RAIN Project is all about.
But as we look forward, one question is guiding our next steps: How do we make sure this work continues into 2026, 2027 and beyond?
RAIN Has Proven What Is Possible
Since launching, the RAIN Project has worked across two specific catchments, Harpers Brook and Wootton Brook, to test new and innovative ways of creating greater flood resilience in communities.
Together with landowners, schools, residents, engineers, ecologists and farmers, we’ve delivered:
- Natural flood management (NFM) projects that reduce runoff and hold back water
- Property flood resilience (PFR) installations that better protect homes
- Community-led initiatives like planting days, youth education, SuDS gardens and flood packs
- A growing sense of shared responsibility for how we prepare for, adapt to and bounce back from flood events
The result? A blueprint for how flood resilience can be locally driven.
Introducing the Northamptonshire Nature Fund
To build on this progress, we’ve launched the Northamptonshire Nature Fund – the vehicle that will drive forward this legacy.
The Fund will enable the continued delivery of:
- Nature-based flood mitigation schemes
- Biodiversity enhancement
- Community resilience education
- Volunteer opportunities and local engagement
But we can’t do this alone.
A Call for Volunteers
As part of the Nature Fund’s next steps, we’re working to support the creation of local Flood Action Groups across the whole county, using the RAIN Project’s learnings, relationships and momentum to help communities:
- Deliver practical, nature-based flood solutions
- Share skills, insights and support
- Access funding and technical guidance
- Keep flood resilience on the local agenda
And we need local people to help lead the way. We’re therefore looking for:
- Community organisers, volunteers or residents with lived experience of flooding
- Retirees who may be looking for a new project – ex-civil engineers, ecologists, project managers etc
- Local farmers and landowners
- Former or current planners, emergency responders or environment professionals who want to give back locally
- Anyone who understands how water shapes our places, or simply wants to make a difference!
If you’ve got the motivation to make positive change, we want to hear from you. Together, we can deliver practical, nature-based flood mitigation, from large-scale NFM projects to simple actions that better protect homes and habitats.
Be Part of What’s Next
The RAIN Project concludes in March 2027, but with the right support, our legacy will last far longer – and there’s a role for you in shaping what comes next!
Express your interest by contacting Sarah Parr, Project Manager:
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The RAIN Project is funded by Defra as part of the £200 million Flood and Coastal Innovation Programmes, which is managed by the Environment Agency. The programmes will drive innovation in flood and coastal resilience and adaptation to a changing climate.
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