OxGrow is Oxford's Edible Community Garden
The people of Oxford have come together to transform two grass tennis courts into a thriving food-growing space. Volunteers of all ages work together, learn together, share the harvests, and are kick-starting a local food revolution in the heart of the city.
SUNDAY WORK-PARTIES
We have open work-parties every Sunday between 1 and 4 pm. Everyone's welcome – all ages and all levels of experience and ability. Tools and materials are provided. Just turn up, wearing good shoes/boots and rain-gear if necessary. We also run special one-off work-parties on week-days for specific groups (often children or teenagers), on request.
ORGANISING
OxGrow is run non-hierarchically, which means that everyone can get involved in whatever way suits them best, and decisions are made by consensus.
We have informal planning meetings after the work-parties every second Sunday, and everyone is welcome to attend these.
If you'd like to help facilitate a work-party, come along at 12 when the coordinators plan the session and share out facilitation roles. And we always need help with the work that goes on in the background, from fundraising to blogging to design.
So get in touch if you'd like to help out in any way!
PARTNERSHIPS
OxGrow is partnered with Hogacre Common, a community-run Eco-Park linked to Low Carbon South Oxford and Low Carbon West Oxford. All sorts of events happen on-site, from bee-keeping to tree-planting to renewable energy-generation. For more info on Hogacre events, contact Ben on
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As well as being a CAG, OxGrow is a member of the Oxford Hub http://oxfordhub.org/, a charity that connects students with projects in the local community. Students have been crucial in mobilising OxGrow right from the start, and we hope that OxGrow will help to break down Oxford's infamous town-gown divide.
OUR AIMS
Education and Demonstration:
OxGrow aims to get as many people as possible growing delicious, nutritious, food.
Sustainability:
OxGrow aims to engage as many people as possible with the benefits of growing and eating food that is local, seasonal, low-carbon and that encourages biodiversity.
Experimentation:
OxGrow aims to test a whole range of different cultivation techniques and to grow a wide variety of crops that you can't find in the shops.
Community Building and Diversity:
OxGrow aims to engage people of all ages and from all backgrounds, and to build a strong community that breaks down generational, social, and cultural barriers, uniting Oxford around the love of food, fresh air and muddy fingernails!
UPCOMING EVENTS
We are planning a Harvest Festival for 16th October. And we will shortly be starting a new wave of community consultation to inform the longer-term vision for the site. More info coming soon, but get in touch if you want to hear more about either of these plans.
FINDING OXGROW
OxGrow is on Hogacre Common, just one kilometre from the Carfax Tower off the Abingdon Road. Click here for a map and directions: http://oxgrow.org/finding-oxgrow/
MORE INFO AND CONTACTING OXGROW
CAGs list
The Community Action Group known as Sustainable Stonesfield (SUSTO) aims to raise awareness of the effects of Climate Change, to support and promote Community action and education that addresses these effects with sustainable solutions and, by sharing information and activities with similar groups, to create a sustainable future.