Big companies must now show compassion to flood victims

When our backs are against the wall, that's when the British usually show their best.

Well, now - with floods affecting so many people across whole swathes of the country - is one of those occasions.

And we hear heart-warming stories:

• Yorkshire farmers - who have donated animal feed and bedding to farmers in the south
• The army - inevitably doing a fantastic job
• Prince William and Prince Harry - lending a hand to pile up sandbags in Datchett
• Many neighbours and communities coming together to help others through the situation.

Let us hope that institutions that hold many of the keys will be similarly helpful. These would include:

• Water companies
• Electricity and gas suppliers
• Insurance companies

For once, show some compassion to people who need help, and don't just think of how you can turn other people's misfortune into profit.

Who knows, perhaps a kind deed or two might stand you in good stead.

Charity should begin at home for flood victims

It's tragic to read and hear about people who have been affected by the latest floods, mainly coastal this time. The same goes for previous flood victims - many not far from where I live in Surrey.

I hope that insurance companies can help them out - after all, this is just the kind of thing that we all pay into the insurance pot for.

Whether councils can or should do more to help victims or even take preventive measures, I don't know, but, again, I hope they are doing all they can to help people out.

What events like this in our country do bring to mind is the amount of money we often send abroad to victims of natural disasters. That is all very well and I wouldn't like to see that stopped, but do we ever send money to victims in our own country?

If not, we should do. Charity should begin at home.