Oxfordshire Goes Big for Great Big Green Week 2025
- comms926
- Jul 30
- 3 min read
From June 7th to 15th, communities across Oxfordshire came together to celebrate Great Big Green Week 2025, the UK’s largest festival of climate action and nature protection. Organised nationally by The Climate Coalition, the week saw nearly 100 events spring up across the Oxfordshire, driven by local passion, creativity, and a strong commitment to sustainability.
Pictures from Wild Oxfordshire's wildflower survey, Climate Collective Oxford's Thrive Festival and St John the Evangelist Church in Hailey's beekeeping exhibition.
A County-Wide Celebration
Every district in Oxfordshire took part, with a flurry of activity right from the start — nearly 30 events were held on the very first Saturday alone! Sixteen towns and villages hosted open days, drawing in large, diverse crowds and showcasing a spirit of unity and determination.
One highlight was the Great Big Green Lunch Campaign run by Good Food Oxfordshire, which saw an estimated 5,500 people getting involved in sharing sustainable meals and learning about food's impact on the environment.
Supporting Community Power
To support this grassroots momentum, the Community Action Group (CAG) network awarded 37 small grants, with funding from Oxfordshire County Council and the Climate Action Oxfordshire Website, The Big Give Trust, and individual donors. These grants empowered a wide range of community groups to host engaging and educational events.
Here’s a flavour of what happened across the county:
Sustainable Didcot ran an entire week of events, including clothes swaps, energy-saving talks, and hands-on gardening sessions.
Barracks Lane Community Garden invited people for a "Welcome Summer" day with pizza-making and the smoothie bike.
West Kidlington School Garden taught families how to build window box nature reserves, encouraging biodiversity from home.
St John the Evangelist Hailey Church combined nature conservation with education through a honey bee exhibit and churchyard planting.
Maymessy CIC continued their therapeutic gardening work for those experiencing severe mental health issues, including activities like beekeeping.
Photos: Calma Alma singing Mamas in Wantage, West Kidlington School window boxes and 21st Century Thame.
Connecting People with Nature
The week wasn’t just about action—it was about connection. Calma Alma Singing Mamas hosted a nature-themed singing event to strengthen bonds between people and seasons. The Berin Centre offered nature walks, garden planting, and recycled art workshops, while Bourtons Wildlife Friendly Community celebrated birds with crafts, talks, and giveaways of recycled bird boxes.
From Faringdon’s Big Green Day hosted by the Town Council, to Thame’s Wild Things Trail, which turned the town into a life-sized nature boardgame, local imagination was on full display. Greener Henley delivered a full week of inspiring activities including talks, film screenings, nature walks, and their Big Green Festival—engaging all corners of the community in creative climate action.
SHARE Oxford inspired with practical skills like tool sharpening and electrical repairs. Meanwhile, Climate Collective Oxford hosted THRIVE Oxford, envisioning a city-wide climate hub.
Events like Sandhills Naturehood’s wildflower surveys and Biodiversity Bloxham’s habitat talks showed that long-term environmental thinking is alive and thriving.
As the dust settles from a week of action, celebration, and collaboration, one thing is clear: Oxfordshire doesn’t do green by halves. From community gardens to churchyards, from seed swaps to sustainability festivals, the people of Oxfordshire have shown that when it comes to the climate and nature, they are ready to lead.
The Great Big Green Week Round-Up
We’ve compiled a short report showcasing the creativity, diversity, and impact of Oxfordshire’s Great Big Green Week 2025 events. From village wildlife days to climate hubs in city centres, the report highlights the range of activities funded through our small grants programme and the incredible local energy behind them. It’s both a celebration and a resource for communities looking to take inspiration and build on this year’s success.
Thank you to all the volunteers, organisers, funders, and attendees who made this year’s Great Big Green Week unforgettable. Here’s to keeping the momentum going all year round!
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