I was lucky enough to visit the Far East recently to contribute to an international forum on the management of water resources.  Speakers from the US, Japan, India, central America and Europe shared experience on how to protect communities from flooding and ensure the quality of water supplies.  My contribution was focused on how to equip and empower local people to develop their own solutions to environmental challenges, as exemplified through Groundwork's Communities Prepared programme, currently being rolled out across the country with support from The National Lottery Community Fund.  

What became obvious during discussions was that this model of people-led, partnership-based approaches to the management of infrastructure and the response to emergencies was something agencies in other countries envied as they struggled to bridge the divide between top-down solutions and the traditions, landscapes and facilities cherished by local residents.