Prince William to kickstart community project to prepare for emergencies and extreme weather events
The Prince of Wales is expected to make this announcement during his upcoming trip to Somerset
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The Prince of Wales is expected to launch ‘Ready Together,’ a preparedness initiative to ensure communities are ready for emergencies and extreme weather events.
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Prince William is travelling to Somerset on Tuesday where he will learn about how residents, volunteers, businesses and emergency services are working together to respond to threats including flooding and wildfires.
This visit is part of the wider creation of Ready Together, a National Emergencies Trust project, which aims to provide communities across the UK with practical guidance to help them prepare for and respond to emergencies.
William is patron of the trust which has been created amid increasing climate uncertainty and threats to national security from adversarial nations.
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“Research has shown that people are very willing to help in an emergency, including to support their neighbours during a crisis,” said a spokesperson for Kensington Palace.
“At the same time, far fewer feel their communities have the structures and plans in place to respond effectively.
“Ready Together seeks to bridge that gap by turning goodwill into practical preparedness.”
William is expected to join volunteers and young people taking part in a training exercise involving a series of emergency scenarios, and meet members of the Ilminster Resilience Group, which has supported residents during severe flooding in the region.
He is also scheduled to visit Sweet Surprise, a cafe providing opportunities for adults with learning disabilities.
The visit will conclude at Ilminster Fire Station, where William will meet Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service representatives and learn about mapping and forecasting tools being used to prepare for the growing risk of wildfires.
Somerset has been hit with frequent flooding in recent years, with its most severe floods hitting in 2014 when several villages were evacuated and 165 houses were destroyed.
That number of flooded homes across the country almost doubled between May 2023 and January, 2026 as a result of increased extreme storm events.
Climate change has also contributed to wildfires across the country, including a wildfire which ripped through the West Midland town of Stourbridge this summer destroying 19 homes.
This move to increase emergency preparedness comes amid Russian threats and concerns over attacks from Iran.