A Yalding councillor who worked tirelessly to deal with floods in her village while her own home was waterlogged has won a national award.

Geraldine Brown was selected as the winner of the Local Heroes campaign after being nominated by Helen Grant, MP for Maidstone and the Weald.

Cllr Brown, chairman of Yalding Parish Council, was selected from a list of 140 nominations across the county for her work fighting to implement flood protections for her village over more than 16 years.

Launched by the re-insurance organisation Flood Re, the awards recognise individuals who have either helped their area prepare for a flood event or who have taken action to help friends and neighbours during such a disaster.

They were presented in Parliament by Thérèse Coffey MP, Minister for Flooding. The judging panel chose Geraldine as they found her 17 years of commitment to helping her community heartwarming and believed that her efforts exemplify community spirit.

Yalding suffered devastating floods in 2000 and 2013, and after the earlier flood Geraldine decided to take matters into her own hands. Among other solutions, she set up an emergency contact centre and set up the local church as a refuge. She also sends round-the-clock updates to an email database of around 600 residents during major floods.

Andy Bord, chief executive of Flood Re and chairman of the judging panel, said: “ “Geraldine is an example of how, in addition to shopping around for a Flood Re-backed policy, there are many practical steps people can take, working together in their communities to lessen the impact of flooding."

As the national winner, Cllr Brown has been awarded a £10,000 cheque to go towards Yalding’s flood preparedness efforts or a local flood relief charity of her choice.

Mrs Grant said: "I remember being with her during the dark days of the Christmas floods 2013 when her fortitude and resilience was inspirational. It is the icing on the cake that the award comes with £10,000, which I know will be put to excellent use in the efforts to continue to protect our community in Yalding."

After receiving the award Cllr Brown added: "I am surprised and totally humbled to have won and the award is a tribute to the strength of the Yalding Community in the face of flood adversity.

The £10,000 prize is amazing for Yalding and I can’t wait to work with the community to decide how it can be put to most effective use.I am also so pleased that this award will help keep my community in the spotlight whilst we continue to seek better, more robust long-term flood management solutions for the Middle Medway area."