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Community Groups in Oxford

We need you to fill in this space, if you would like your group to appear on these pages please e-mail us your Group Name, E-mail Address / Phone Number, Web address (if available) , Area Covered, Aim, Regular Meeting / Event details, Any Case Studies / Useful Experiences!

Ban The Bulb

Contact Details: matt.prescott@gmail.com

Website: www.banthebulb.org

Aim: The phasing out and banning of incandescent light bulbs and the bringing to market of appropriate alternatives

Regular Meeting: weblog updates

Barracks Lane Community Garden

Website: www.barrackslanegarden.org.uk

Aim: Barracks Lane Community Garden is a community-run green space off the Cowley Road in East Oxford. It hosts many regular events as well as special and annual events. It is also open every weekend throughout the summer for all to visit and enjoy.

The Canalside Environment Group (CEG)

Contact Details: 01865 311 511 / cegroup@hotmail.co.uk

Website: cagoxfordshire.org.uk/cags/90-canalside-environment-group-

Aim: A voluntary group of local residents with a common goal of building a more sustainable community. All of us share a passion for making a difference locally. If you would like to join us, help out at local events or find out more please contact us.

Climate Outreach Information Network

Aim: Climate Outreach and Information Network (COIN) is a charity formed in 2004 to directly engage the public about climate change. COIN inspires lasting changes in attitudes and behaviour through the use of innovative action learning methods and by assisting people to communicate their own messages to their peers.

Website: coinet.org.uk

Email: info@coinet.org.uk

Telephone: +44 (0)1865 403334

Community Action Groups

Contact Details: simon.kenton@resourcefutures.co.uk or tel: 07793 647190.

Website: cagoxfordshire.org.uk

Aim: Community Action Groups (CAGs) work to increase awareness of waste issues and reduce the amount of resources that are thrown away.

By reducing, reusing and recycling the groups empower people to be better stewards of natural resources all of which helps to reduce our carbon footprint.

Each CAG is unique, but all are run by local volunteers who organise events and initiatives in their local communities.

Local Groups:

Barracks Lane Community Garden - off the Cowley Road, East Oxford

Bullingdon (Orinoco) – Peat Moors, Headington.

Canalside Environment Group – North Oxford, Waterways Estate area

Headington - Area

Low Carbon Group West Oxford – area just south of Oxford Railway Station

Sunnymead Environment Group – area around Harpes Road, Summertown

Zero Waste Wolvercote – Wolvercote area

Commonwheels: East Oxford’s Car Club

Contact Details: info@commonwheels.org.uk.
For more information on car clubs see

Website: commonwheels.org.uk

Aim: Oxcar and national organisation Commonwheels launched a not-for-profit car club in East Oxford at the end of last year. The groups hope to cut pollution and the number of cars on the streets by providing shared access to low-emission vehicles. All surplus income generated will be ploughed back in to the Oxford scheme.

Details: The East Oxford club has a fleet of 6 cars at present: 2 new high fuel efficiency VW Polo Blue Motions and 4 resident donated 'recycled' cars (one of which can run on recycled biofuel). Members can book the cars, online or over the phone, for periods upwards of half an hour and are charged (by monthly invoice) according to the length of booking (£2.50 or £4 an hour) and distance travelled (first 10 miles free, next 100 miles at 25p per mile, 19p per mile thereafter). Rates include fuel.
Car clubs encourage more efficient use of more fuel-efficient cars – the Car Plus 2008 survey revealed that car club cars emit over a third less CO2 than the cars they replace. For more info visit: http://climatex.org/articles/lo-carb-communities/east-oxford-car-club/ or www.commonwheels.org.uk/html/locations.html#oxford

Cylox

Aim: We lobby Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council for better conditions. We’re currently working on: Developing a coherent cycle network (LTP3), Cycle Parking, Bike Polite, Queen St and Frideswide Square

Website: cyclox.org

Footloose Community Arts

Aim: to bring together diverse local groups,to explore the theme of the Story of Life and the Universe, and within that context, to provide space for discussion and reflection about the current environmental crises threatening our planet and how we can respond. We are using music, visual art and dance, and are working with several different groups.The project ends with a procession, leading to a performance at the Town Hall on Sat Oct 4th. There will be space for individuals to join in the procession/performance, please contact us for more details.
Footloose has worked in a variety of settings, including community gardens and nature reserves - we have made wattle and daub structures, recycled musical instruments, and toured a performance of an opera about the perils of genetic engineering to a mainly rural audience, including cows

Contact: camilla@littleweed-music.org

Website: footloosearts.co.uk
Location: City of Oxford

Oxford Freegive

Aim: Oxford Freegive Group connects people who are giving and getting unwanted items for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse, recycle and keeping good stuff out of landfills. It's completely free to join.Freegive group is active in all England regions.
Website: http://www.freegive.co.uk/p/oxford.htm

Location: City of Oxford

GreenCycle

Aims: Greencycle is a social enterprise set up in 2009 by Oxford University students. A restricted online network that makes it easier for Oxford students to trade second-hand cycles and buy abandoned cycles. GreenCycle aims to match students with the cycle that is right for them. Our long term goal is to sell affordable cycles to students, as well as help the University and City Council clear abandoned cycles.  Collaborating with Bainton Bikes, a bike repair business. Also tied up with The Environmental Change Institute and Oxford Hub.  Passionate about conserving the environment, and promoting sustainable transport. Please spread the word about GreenCycle- they depend on your support!

Website: www.oxfordgreencycle.org.uk / Facebook

Contact Email: greencycle@oxfordhub.org

Low-Carbon Headington

Contact E-mail: marygill@f2s.com

Contact Number: 01865 762879

Area Covered: Headington

Website: headington.org.uk/lowcarbon/

Aim: Headington residents who aim to engage themselves, and their community, in activities which significantly lower the area's carbon footprint.
We have several working groups, namely: Carbon reduction group (measuring and reducing our carbon footprints); Transport; Waste reduction; Farmers' Market stall. We are also working on setting up a car club in Headington.
We hold whole-group meetings once a quarter, and keep in touch via our email list of supporters.

Low Carbon Wolvercote

Contact E-mail : vicky_harris@btopenworld.com

Contact Number: 01865 515858 / 07815 835513

Area Covered: Wolvercote

Aim: To work, at a local level, towards solutions to climate change (for a copy of the full 'Low Carbon Wolvercote Charter' e-mail vicky_harris@btopenworld.com

Regular Meetings: Every first Thursday of the month in the Red Lion Wolvercote at 8pm (The first meeting of 2008 is on the 10th Jan). The Renewables Group meet on the third Tuesday of every month at the Plough Wolvercote at 8pm. Everyone is very welcome to all these events.

Orangutan-SOS

Aim: The Sumatran Orangutan Society is dedicated to the conservation of Sumatran orangutans and their forest home. Our international branches raise awareness of the threats facing wild orangutans and raise funds to support grassroots conservation projects in Sumatra. Together with a team of committed Indonesian conservationists, we work with local communities living alongside orangutan habitat. We plant trees to restore damaged ecosystems and provide training to help the local people work towards a more sustainable future for their forests. A registered UK Charity.

Contact E-mail: claire@orangutans-sos.org or helen@orangutans-sos.org

Contact Number: 01865 403341

Website: www.orangutans-sos.org

Location: SOS UK, The Old Music Hall, 106-108 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1JE

Patrons: Bill Bailey, Chrissie Hynde, Linda Wain, Nadya Hutagalung, Michael Cooper

Orinoco

Aim: To promote waste reduction, resource re-use and play. In our amazing store you can buy household paint, decorating tools, paper, card, fabric, plastic and a whole range of fantastic things that we have rescued from a tragic end in a landfill or incinerator.

Regular Meetings: The store is open to all on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 11am to 4pm (expect to pay £2 for a bag full of stuff or pay what you like for paint). On the Second Saturday of every month we hold a “dump and grab” event. Bring along anything you want to get rid of or just come along and grab stuff you like… FOR FREE.

Contact E-mail : mail@oxorinoco.org

Contact Number: 01865 761113 / 07960 661748

Website: oxorinoco.org

Location: Bullingdon Community Centre, Peat Moors (off the Slade), Headington, Oxford. OX3 7HS

 

Oxford Conservation Volunteers

Aim: The Oxford Conservation Volunteers is a voluntary organisation that has been carrying out practical work conserving the wildlife and traditional landscape of the Oxford area since 1977. The group organises work parties every Sunday (and some Saturdays) and undertakes a wide variety of nature conservation work. This can range from the traditional craft of hedge laying to the modern practice of fence building; from creating new hedges by tree planting to conserving chalk grassland habitats by scrub clearance.

Location: All over Oxfordshire and beyond

Website: ocv.org.uk

Mailing List: http://www.ocv.org.uk/list.php

Contact Email

Oxford Action Resource Centre (OARC)

Aim: The Oxford Action Resource Centre (OARC) is a local facility run by an open collective of volunteers. We are interested in community development and working towards a more socially just and environmentally sustainable society. They offer resources for community and activist groups to use. They prioritise activities that make the world and our communities a better place. Favourite things include: Grassroots groups that allow everybody to take part equally.
Actions that empower people, Creating real democracy in our local community.
Everybody is welcome to come and get involved in running OARC

Contact Tel: 01865 243121

Contact Email: oarc[at]riseup.net 

Email list: https://lists.riseup.net/www/info/oarc

Oxford Pedestrians Association (OxPA)

Contact E-mail : info@oxpa.org.uk

Contact Number: 01865 779663

Aim: To promote walking as a means of transport, to campaign for the safety and convenience of pedestrians, to put pedestrians at the centre of transport issues, planning and systems and to represent the interests of pedestrians when plans and decisions relating to them are being made.

Regular Meetings: The 4th Tuesday each month at Oxford Town Hall, 7-9pm. All welcome.

Events and campaigns: Streets4People or Car Free Day (every September 22nd) , 20'sPlenty! campaign for a 20mph city, reduce pavement clutter and pavement parking and campaign for more pedestrian crossings.

Oxfordshire Nature Conservation Forum

Contact E-mail: clare@oncf.org.uk or cynth@oncf.org.uk

Contact Tel: 01865 407034

Website: oncf.org.uk

Location: Oxfordshire

Aim: To conserve and improve Oxfordshire's natural environment. The Forum is an innovative and expanding partnership of 60 conservation organisations, farming bodies, environmental and recreational interests and local authorities.

Regular meetings/ events: 2 per year for members, plus Local Environment Groups Conference (spring 2008), free weekly email bulletin detailing all walks/ talks and items of interest relating to Oxfordshire's environment.

Oxford Streets For People

Aim: Oxford Streets for People is a campaign which believes that our streets are valuable social spaces for everyone’s shared use and enjoyment.
They are spaces for travelling along (whether by foot, cycle, bus or car),
for playing in and for interacting with neighbours. Oxford Streets for People is dedicated to encouraging everyone to enjoy their street in this way. Oxford Streets for People – an Oxford Civic Society initiative – promotes street parties in partnership with the Oxford City Council.

Co-ordinator: Richard Bradley, 24 Beaumont Road, Oxford OX3 8JN (01865 762418)
Website: www.oxstreets.org.uk

Slow Food Oxon

Aim: We are one of nearly 1,000 Convivia (local chapters) of Slow Food International, which was founded in 1986 in Italy. Slow Food has grown into an international network with members and convivia all over the world. Eating is fundamental to our existence: Slow Food believes that raising the quality of our food and the amount of time we take to enjoy it is a simple way to improve our lives. Hosts regular events which combine education, fun and good dining. Events are open to non-members as well as members

Website: www.slowfood-oxon.org.uk

Shotover Wildlife

Aim: A voluntary organisation founded to research and communicate the importance of Shotover Hill for wildlife

Website: www.shotover-wildlife.org.uk

Transition Oxford

Contact E-mail : transitionoxford@gmail.com

Website: transitionoxford.org.uk

Aim: To prepare Oxford for a positive post oil future by creating a resilient community in Oxford in which all individuals can thrive and be happy.

Regular Meetings: See transitionoxford.org.uk/events.htm

VOCAL – Voice of Oxford Climate Action Lobby

Contact: Steve Gerrish 01865 379913 steve.gerrish@virgin.net

Aims: Engages with local government (city, county, districts) to help them bring down local greenhouse gas emissions, e.g. meeting with councillors, local govt. officers, responding to planning applications etc. Group meets about 10 times a year, monthly. New members welcome. New ideas welcome.

 

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