Huge Challenge vendor Vincent stated in all his years on the streets ‘it was the primary time I’d actually panicked’
Vincent Lewis misplaced all the pieces within the Monmouth flooding brought on by Storm Claudia. The Huge Challenge vendor has recounted in horrific element how water rose to his hips inside seconds, and he frightened for his life.
Vincent traditionally bought the Huge Challenge reverse Lloyds Financial institution on Saint David’s Highway in Cwmbran however moved to a brand new pitch on Monmouth Excessive Avenue in September. Within the preliminary deluge, he needed to wade by water to flee.
“Inside seconds – and I imply seconds – I go searching and there’s flooding and I’m considering: How am I going to get out of right here? I can’t get by. There’s no means out,” Lewis instructed the Huge Challenge.
“The water was as much as my hip and I’m six foot. As I used to be strolling again up the hill all you possibly can see was bins and water in every single place and it was getting harmful then. I did panic then to be sincere with you.
“I used to be actually frightened for my life. I’ve been on the streets for a very long time however it was the primary time I’d actually panicked. It was like excessive tide. It was actually nasty.
“I’ve misplaced all the pieces. My tent, all my bedding, all my garments, all my paperwork, all the pieces.”
Since Storm Claudia subsided, Lewis has managed to safe a brand new tent, and Huge Challenge has been making an attempt to succeed in him by way of blocked routes to switch his misplaced belongings.
The local people in Monmouth has been supporting Lewis because the clean-up continues.
“There are excellent individuals right here. The neighborhood is pulling collectively. Folks have been giving free, scorching meals out,” stated Lewis. “Huge Challenge have been serving to me too however they haven’t been in a position to get to me as a result of the roads have been blocked off.”
Huge Challenge has offered a means for individuals to assist Vincent ,by taking out a subscription in his help.
Similar to with gross sales Huge Challenge distributors make on the road, 50% of all subscription charges go straight into Lewis’ pocket, with the opposite half enabling the Huge Challenge to supply assist and incomes alternatives for distributors.
Workers on the charity’s workplaces say they had been in “disaster mode” over the weekend, figuring out how badly impacted their distributors could be.
Many distributors had been utterly unable to promote over the weekend, and those that did enterprise out over the weekend noticed little footfall on their pitches.
This isn’t the primary time storms have severely hit Huge Challenge distributors in Wales. In November 2024, when Storm Bert introduced record-breaking rainfall and river ranges to Rhondda Cynon Taf, Huge Challenge distributors in Wales had been vastly disrupted, with almost 20% much less gross sales recorded than in the identical week a 12 months earlier.
Managing director of the Huge Challenge Catherine Parsons stated: “Our group is doing all we will to assist Vincent get better from this terrible setback. We’re utilizing our Hand-Up Fund to switch objects like clothes and sneakers that had been destroyed by the flood.
“Something you are able to do to assist Vincent or any of your native Huge Challenge distributors is vastly appreciated as we get better from the numerous affect of the storm.”
