In a recent Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart was tasked to create his own survival kit for benefit of all Mannkind. Here is his advice:

The UK gov has it’s own kit list which covers torch, radio, power bank, batteries, first aid, wipes and sanitiser, bottled water, tinned food and baby supplies. You can find all that here. Everything else below is the middle-ground upgrade. Don’t panic buy this, just grab it bit by bit, you know, when you’re in the middle aisle at Lidl.

1. Water

  • 3 litres per person per day for drinking and cooking, for 7 to 14 days 

  • Sealed bottled water, or tap water in food-grade containers rotated every 6 months

  • Water purification tablets and a simple gravity or squeeze filter

  • Non-drinking water for flushing and washing (a full water butt counts)

2. Food

  • 7 to 14 days of food you already eat, rotated: tins, pasta, rice, oats, crackers, peanut butter, UHT milk

  • At least 3 days of it edible with no cooking at all

  • A manual tin opener

  • Baby food or ready-to-feed formula, and pet food, if needed

3. Cooking and warmth without power

  • Camping stove with spare gas, used outdoors only never indoors, even with windows open

  • Lighters and matches in a sealed bag

  • Thermal flask, to keep one boil going all day

  • Sleeping bags, blankets, hats and warm layers for winter cuts

  • A working carbon monoxide alarm

4. Light and power

  • A head torch per person, plus one lantern

  • Spare batteries, and power banks kept charged

  • A car phone charger

5. Information

  • Battery or wind-up radio, with local station frequencies written down

  • Paper list of numbers: 105 for power cuts, your water company, family, neighbours, GP

  • Flood and weather warnings switched on

6. Health

  • Full first aid kit

  • One to two weeks of regular medicines (ask the pharmacist about timing repeats)

  • Painkillers, rehydration sachets, spare glasses

7. Sanitation, honestly this is important

  • Emergency toilet: bucket with lid, heavy-duty bin bags, cat litter or sawdust

  • Toilet roll, wet wipes, hand sanitiser, sanitary products, nappies

  • Disinfectant and rubber gloves

8. Money and documents

  • Cash in small notes, enough for a few days of essentials

  • Copies of ID, insurance, prescriptions and the household plan in a waterproof wallet

9. Home and car

  • Know where the gas, water and electricity shut-offs are

  • Smoke alarms tested monthly; fire blanket in the kitchen

  • Duct tape, a tarp, a multi-tool, work gloves

  • Car kept at least half full, with a blanket, torch and water in the boot

10. Grab bag (one per person)

  • Water, snacks, torch, power bank and cable, medicines, cash, document copies, a warm layer, a comfort item for kids

11. Morale

  • Cards, board games, books, films downloaded for the kids

12. People and pets

  • Check if anyone qualifies for the Priority Services Register

  • Swap numbers with neighbours and agree who checks on whom

  • A week of pet food and any pet medication

  • Oh and people medication!