Local CAGs

Currently, there are a number of active Community Action Groups in West Oxfordshire:
(For information about setting up your own click here)

The Charlbury Area Waste Action Group (CAWAG)

...was created in 1997 and has worked closely with both West Oxfordshire District Council and Oxfordshire County Council to continually increase the recycling facilities via the black boxes and green waste scheme and the recycling bins at the Spendlove Centre.

Website: www.cwag.org.uk
Contact: info@cwag.org.uk
Next event:

Here is what's on their current agenda:

"REDUCE" - To reduce energy use, reduce carbon-dioxide emissions and reduce the number of broken lightbulbs to be disposed of, we loan out a Low-energy Lightbulb Library containing about 70 different varieties of bulb to help people find the right bulb for their individual light fittings. See below for more details.
"RE-USE" - Bring and Take (swap shops) at the Memorial Hall every six months, no money changes hands - you just bring what you don't want and take what you fancy! Next one is Saturday March 1st from 10am until 12 noon.
"RECYCLE" - FREE Green Waste collections at the Spendlove on the first Saturday of EVERY month from 10am until 12 noon.
Production of a printed A-Z Directory of local waste reduction, reuse & recycling facilities
Information displays at Wychwood Fair and Charlbury Street Fair every year.
Public talks on waste and recycling.
Local survey on waste and recycling.

Witney Waste Action Group (WWAG)

...(formerly Woodgreen Area WAG) hold lots of events, attend fairs and communicate with the local community in as many ways they can. The group has lots of energy and enthusiasm for waste reduction holding green shredding events, talking to groups and to children's clubs, informing people about alternative ways of dealing with their waste - such as green cones, composting, wormeries and much more!

Website: see www.cagoxfordshire.org.uk
Contact: Sandra Simpson
Next event:

This group formed at the beginning of 2004 and has since organised a regular community collection and shredding morning for green waste.

The green waste collections have proved very popular with the local population and thanks to help and support from the District Council the event takes place in the Council's Elmfield car park every month.

Eynsham Area Waste Watchers

...This group newly formed in 2008 runs swap shops in Aston and Eynsham.

The Wychwood Network

...The Wychwood Network is a recently established non profit making organisation centred in the Wychwood Forest area of West Oxfordshire. Its core aim is to bring together individuals and organisations, operating in different ways and in different fields in the Wychwood area, but all supporting or promoting sustainability and community enterprise in a rural context.

Website: www.wychnet.org/
Contact: Richard Lord
Next event: TBC

Why ?

The thinking behind The Wychwood Network is that there are many people working in different fields (such as local food, farming, landscape and environmental conservation, waste management, renewable energy etc) and in different ways (local government, NGOs, local groups, artists, businesses and individuals), and that increased communication, co-operation and co-ordination between them is beneficial for the individual players and for the whole "sustainability" movement. For an outline of the values underpinning the growth of the network, click here

How ?

The Wychwood Network espouses the concept of "Think Globally, Act Locally" as a practical medium for achieving its goals. We want to move as locals "from grassroots up" to complement the "top down" approach of national and local Government, and promote a holistic approach to issues affecting quality of life. We think action is more important than just theory. The Network's main function is to act a catalyst to help others link up with each other and work more effectively or a cauldron to brew up ideas. Specific goals include:

The provision of a web based information and news network for sympathetic individuals and organisations, as an information resource showing who is doing what, when, where and how in relevant areas
The promotion of practical strategies for sustainable activity (in terms of community enterprise, food production, renewable energy use, waste reduction etc), particularly in rural West Oxfordshire but spreading outwards to have wider effect. For example The Wychwood Network seeks to establish an area of permaculture in the Wychwood region and to organise seminars and meetings between interested groups
A long term aim is the establishment of an "Arium" or community space in the area as a meeting place and centre for arts, education, information and other community activities.