Seaside Parish Series 2 - the Boscastle Flood

Transmission of Series 2 began at the end of 2004, and picked up the story of the parishes from Easter of that year. Viewing figures immediately showed the increasing popularity of the series, and the audience response once the programmes reached the events of August 16th was amazing.

Because viewers had already strongly identified with local characters - the artist Raymund Rogers, the owner of the Harbour Light down by the old bridge, the regulars at the village pubs - quite apart from the parish priest, Christine Musser and her husband Brett, there was especial interest in how this community, devastated by the August flood, was going to cope.

So, as the peaceful stories of the year developed on screen, it has to be remembered that, in real time, the villagers were still in the very early stages of mopping up and coming to terms with loss.

What had also happened, and was accurately chronicled by the series, was the extraordinary outpouring of generosity from across the UK to the people of Boscastle, following the flood. Within a few days a national emergency relief fund was set up, but within twenty four hours the first offers of help, and cash, began to pour into the Vicarage at Boscastle. Christine set up a team of local Trustees to help her to administer this fund, for those who wrote said time and again ‘The Vicar will know where the need is most urgent.' Tens of thousands of pounds were distributed from that fund, and the generosity of all was humbling, from the farming couple who sent all the money they were intending to spend on a ruby wedding ‘holiday of a lifetime' to the pensioner who sent a left handed tin opener ‘because there will be people who won't have thought about left-handers at all' or the lady from Worcester who sent £220 ‘to be spent on M&S knickers', because ‘when you've been through such misery, good underclothes do make such a difference!'. The Diocesan Communications Officer dealt with all correspondence at this time, running at three to four hundred e mails a day and a similar number of letters, and Christine thanked all who sent donations. All correspondence was always answered.

The second series showed how strongly the viewing public had taken to the people of Boscastle, and did much to show the life of a village priest dealing with adversity, and with a community of remarkable, positive, ordinary people who never gave up, and never became embittered by anything that life threw at them. But it was also a community coming to terms with a ferocious overturning of normal life, and they all felt that they needed to get on with their lives without the ever-present camera. So, whilst there was great pressure for a third series at Boscastle, it was agreed by the Bishop that this would not be appropriate in the circumstances. The BBC were keen to continue with what was clearly ‘accessible' religious or community programmes, so it was agreed that the cameras would follow the diocesan Bishop, Bill Ind, looking at what a bishop in the Church of England does, and embracing other Cornish parishes, and some of Cathedral life.

For details of the next series of Seaside Parish, go to Seaside Parish, Series 3 - The Bishop and the Diocese.

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