“This is because laughing helps learning and humour buffers individuals against the negative side effects of stress, ideas well established in psychology.”

The annual report outlines how the campaign uses “social media that informs, suggests activities and poses a daily challenge using ‘September as Preparedness Month’”. It claims there’s been a “1028% uptake growth” in UK partners from 2017 to 2018, with 368 local partners and two national partners.

The partners aren’t listed, but it’s suggested on the campaign’s website they include “emergency responder” groups like police organisations and council response teams. There is a link to a Twitter list called “Partners 2019”, which has 371 members.

A spokesperson for Northamptonshire County Council said Al-Mufti Nadig had seen “what was happening with the campaign and asked to help”, calling her a “volunteer”.

The spokesperson said the campaign issued a “transparent annual report” and was down to the “dedication and commitment of Joanne and Monika”. Neither the annual report, nor the website, mention that Al-Mufti Nadig co-owns the emergency supplies company EVAQ8.

Northamptonshire County Council said it had been “leading on reaching out to partners” to get involved the 30 Days, 30 Ways campaign.

“A partners briefing sheet was issued through a newsletter to the LRFs (Local Resilience Forums) in the UK and through a page on Resilience Direct (a government emergency portal),” a spokesperson said.

They went on: “We then used our contacts to approach organisations to lead/host days. Many of these are still (Northamptonshire) organisations.”

When asked about whether Al-Mufti Nadig’s commercial interest was declared in the “briefing sheet” for potential partners, the council spokesperson replied, “No — it wasn’t declared.”

“The potential conflict is something we were aware of,” the council spokesperson said. “The decision was made that no #30days30waysUK messages promoted or referenced EVAQ8 and that EVAQ8 don’t market their products on the basis of being a coordinator of the #30days30waysUK campaign to ensure there is not a conflict of interest.”

Responding to a series of questions from BuzzFeed News using her EVAQ8 company email on Wednesday, Al-Mufti Nadig said it was a “matter of public record” that she had business interests in emergency supplies because she was listed as a codirector on the government’s Companies House portal.

“30 Days 30 Ways does not solicit or approach new partners. Rather, because the campaign runs over social media, councils etc. decide to join or not, running their own content based on our approach.

“The fact that EVAQ8 Ltd sells emergency supplies is a matter of public record as is the company’s filing history via Companies House. EVAQ8 is a (very) small business with four employees.”

When pushed on the fact nothing on the 30 Days, 30 Ways website contained the disclosure, or in the campaign’s communication to its partners, she replied, “I acknowledge you have a point.” There’s nothing to suggest Al-Mufti Nadig deliberately concealed her company’s involvement in the campaign, or any other wrongdoing.

It can also be revealed the 30 Days, 30 Ways website shares the same web server as dozens of websites which have the sole purpose of redirecting customers to purchase supplies with EVAQ8.