A Worcestershire FLOOD expert has announced his resignation from the position of Head of the Environment Agency.
In the role for 22 years, Dave Throup was so popular that he even formed a fan club in his honor after making the news due to the severe flooding in 2014.
He will end his long career on December 31, 2021.
The announcement was made on Dave’s official Twitter account and quickly received nearly 1,000 likes, comments, and retweets from locals across the county, who say thank you.
In response to the widespread support and recognition, Dave said, “I want to thank the very good people of Worcestershire, it’s been a lot of fun but it’s time to hang up the yellow jacket.
“It was very humbling to see everyone’s kind messages, which can be a little difficult to read at times, but I am very grateful to everyone who liked and commented on it.
“Throughout my career I have done the job simply and have remained passionate about the environment, flood prevention and climate change. It is really nice to see that all of this is recognized. ”
Dave went on to say how rewarding the job has been over the years, even in the toughest of times.
He added, “I loved every minute, it’s one of the best jobs anyone could ever want.
“It can be extremely rewarding and the strides we have made in flood control along the Severn over the past 20 years has been great, with the number of homes now protected has increased tremendously over the past 20 years.
“It’s stressful, and you have to deal with dangerous situations, and it’s heartbreaking to see people affected by floods.
“While it can be stressful to deal with, it’s not even nearly as stressful as those hit by the floods I’ve always thought of over the years. ”
Environment chief Dave Throup looks out over the River Severn in Worcester.
Dave attributes his positive attitude towards difficult times to focusing on all the good work the Environmental Protection Agency has done over the years.
He said, “The tremendous strides we’ve made in warning and protecting people of impending threats is what it’s about and has really kept me going over the years.
“We’ll never eliminate all risk, but we can certainly make it less dangerous and stressful.
“Given climate change and what the future looks like, we need to keep improving.”
Dave also fondly remembered the time when two dedicated fan clubs were launched on Twitter and Facebook in 2014, when floods in Herefordshire and Worcestershire hit the two counties badly.
Dave said, “It was a remarkable time that came completely out of the blue for me.
“It’s nice that the work of the environmental agency and other responders is recognized. I was just becoming the focus of attention, which was very surreal.
“I was even asked for autographs on Worcester Bridge!”
As Dave neared his retirement, he mentioned two things that he was dying to devote more time to.
He added, “Travel is the most important thing I want to do in the near future.
“My wife and I haven’t had much travel in our careers. Now we’re both retired and hopefully want to find more time to get out and see the world.
“Covid will make this a little more difficult for the time being, but we hope to be able to travel more soon.
“I also love cycling, so I plan to cycle more and continue my hobby of moth catching.”
A successor to Dave’s position as environmental manager for Herefordshire and Worcestershire is to be announced.