Oxfordshire Community Growers Network
(Growing Collaborate)
The Oxfordshire Community Growers Network (also known as the Growing Collaborate) connects people who are involved in community food growing initiatives across the county.
The network brings community gardeners together through regular in-person gatherings held at community gardens across Oxfordshire, and through an online Whatsapp group.
It provides a supportive space to share practical skills and knowledge (anything from seed saving to fundraising advice and more), trouble-shoot and problem-solve together, tour local community growing spaces, explore ideas for collaboration and mutual aid, and offer practical and emotional peer support.
The Community Growers Network at Asthall Manor Kitchen Garden
What we do
We hold quarterly in-person gatherings, which rotate across different community gardens throughout Oxfordshire.
When you attend a network meet-up in person, you can expect:
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Peer support: We have facilitated discussions on key topics as suggested by network members. Sample topics from previous gatherings include ideas for funding beyond grants; working with volunteers; negotiating with landowners, and more.
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Skill and resource sharing: e.g. dry seed-saving workshop, seed swaps, tips on setting up a Seed Library.
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Site tour: host sites usually take us on a tour of their garden - there’s always something new to learn from each other!
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Shared food: we provide an optional catered lunch after the session.
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Relaxed, convivial atmosphere: these gatherings are loosely structured and facilitated, but we keep them fairly informal and relaxed. Their main purpose is to offer everyone a chance to catch up and build personal connections with other community growers.
We also have a helpful Whatsapp ‘community’ with two groups - a Discussion Forum and an Events Forum. People ask each other for tips on practical challenges, share funding opportunities, and post about public events at their sites. The community is lively but not too overwhelming - we typically see a handful of messages each week.
To join the Oxfordshire Growers Network, please contact Marta Lomza at marta@cagoxfordshire.org.uk.
The Community Growers Network at The Wellbeing Garden in Blackbird Leys