The Save our Suffolk Estuary campaign was launched in 2017 to raise vital funds to maintain and upgrade the estuary flood defences along the Alde & Ore Estuary. The estuary stretches 44km along the Suffolk coast from Aldeburgh down to Orford and along to Boyton. The landscape is in extreme peril from more frequent and powerful storm and tidal surges, and without urgent work on the estuary walls, this beautiful area is at serious risk of flooding.

A co-ordinated approach to upgrade and maintain the flood defences is required to sustain this area of natural beauty in Suffolk. Its existence is important not just for us to enjoy the landscape, wildlife and rivers, but to help protect the local communities, homes and businesses, as well as cultural and heritage attractions for generations to come. 

The Alde and Ore Estuary is constrained by river walls, which enables the land behind it to be farmed even though much of it is at or below sea level in the floodplains. With rising sea levels and more frequent stormy weather, this area is increasingly vulnerable to flooding. The aim of the proposed upgrade work is to enable the estuary defences to withstand a 1-in-200-year tidal surge, avoiding the catastrophic flooding seen in 1953 and more recently in 2013. 

If you live, work in, or visit the area, please donate for vital flood defences to protect our shared economy, homes and landscapes. Your money will help to minimise the chance of a repeat of previous flood scenes which devastated this special area of Suffolk.  The entire estuary programme of works has been costed at £26.9m. Of this, local businesses, landowners and residents are pulling together to raise £16m. It is estimated the remaining funding will be unlocked from statutory sources to enable the estuary defence work to be completed.

Our forefathers built the estuary walls and now it is our turn. To find out more and get updates on progress, please visit www.aoetrust.org