Special award for Padiham floods hero Jordan

Padiham flood's Jordan Taylor honour by Mayor Jean Cunningham (s)

Jordan Taylor (22) who was born in Padiham, helped lead a team of up to 150 volunteers who cleaned up the town centre after the River Calder flooded, ruining homes and businesses on Boxing Day last year.

The Mayor of Padiham, Coun. Jean Cunningham, paid tribute to his efforts at an assembly at St Leonard’s Church of England Primary School as she presented him with an award on behalf of the people of Padiham.

“Jordan was like the Pied Piper gathering people together and doing wonderful work,” said Coun. Cunningham, as 280 parents, staff and pupils attended the ceremony, along with Jordan’s mum, brother, uncle and grandmother. “His team helped shopkeepers and householders and carried out amazing work.”

The school’s headteacher, Beverly Holmes, also announced that a new award, The Jordan Taylor Award for Community Service, would be presented in future to pupils who demonstrated community spirit in helping others in the town.

“We were very proud of Jordan and the way he mobilised so many people to help Padiham in a time of crisis and want to encourage pupils to look out for ways in which they can help.

“Obviously it will probably not be on such a large scale and, we hope, not in such devastating circumstances. But, however young, we can all do something to help other people who are in need and this award will mark such achievements.

“We hope that it will increase the awareness of our young people of the difficult circumstances some people can find themselves in.”

Jordan, who knew nothing about the award, had been so shocked by the extent of the flooding in his town that he posted a note on Facebook saying that he would be in the town centre the following day at 9-30am and if anyone wanted to help they could join him.

Twenty volunteers arrived and during the day another 130 came and joined the clean-up.

“I love my town and could not see so many people in trouble,” he said.

The team cleaned the medical centre, sweeping out water, lifting old flooring and pressure washing floors and ceilings on the ground floor. They also helped local shopkeepers and residents whose properties had been badly affected by the flood water - including some pupils and staff members from the school.

The new award will be presented annually to the pupil who is considered to have given the most help to people in difficult circumstances.

The Mayor also received a cheque for £535 which children from the school raised in aid of the town’s flood fund.

Another £300 was raised on a non-uniform day and the children spent it in the shops and cafes which had been damaged, in another effort to help.

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