Hana will be in conversation with Tim Burrows and Ken Worpole at Firstsite, Colchester on Thursday 16th February at 7pm, discussing the Essex Flood of 1953 - one of the worst natural disasters in British history.

On 31st January 1953, a high spring tide and a severe European windstorm over the North Sea caused the sea to breach over 1200 sea defences along the East Anglia coast, with Essex sea walls breached in 300 places. 104 people died in Essex and thousands more were left homeless.

Tim, Hana and Ken will discuss the impacts of this tragic event across Essex and its legacy 70 years on, reflecting how we can approach the risk which still exists, while ensuring communities affected are supported equitably. HAT have recently developed new planning guidance for Jaywick, in close collaboration with the Environment Agency.

Tickets for the in person event are available from Firstsite, and the event will also be livestreamed.

As part of the commemoration of the floods, Jaywick Martello Tower are reshowing and evolving their Tides of Tendring exhibition, which will run from 4th February until 2nd April and which we originally contributed to in 2019.