Oxford Community Action

Ramadan Mubarak from Oxford Community Action 🌘

May your holy month be full of good deeds, good health, wisdom and serenity.
Wishing you compassion and devotion by day and nourishment and community by night.

We hold in our hearts all those suffering in the world and pray for a better tomorrow.

The Leys Pool and Leisure Centre will be hosting a community health day on Friday 8th March, 1.30-6.30pm!

Everyone can join, from under 5s to over 65s, in the different activities, conversations and workshops around the Centre's projects for health and wellbeing

We all know that regular exercise is essential for our health as individuals, but it can also positively influence the wellbeing of our whole community! Group activities like sports or fitness classes can strengthen social bonds, creating a sense of belonging and supportive environment that encourages regular exercise.

Come to the Leys Pool and Leisure Centre on Friday the 8th of March to discover all that's on offer for *you*, and receive tips and advice from healthcare professionals on how to best take care of your body and mind

Look at the fantastic donation we've recently received from Warlands Cycles in the support of our Safe Cycling scheme for children and mothers! 🚲🚴‍♀️🚵‍♀️

Cycling clothing and helmets are fundamental to keep our little ones safe on our streets, and that's what this brilliant specialist bike shop's owner Andy donated to OCA

We are incredibly grateful to him, to the whole team at Warlands and to Steve and Jennifer from Cyclability who put Andy in contact with our director Hassan

You can find Warlands at 63 Botley Road, Oxford, OX2 0BS - keep the kindness flowing by paying them a visit!


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Thank you to everyone who came to our open session yesterday - it was such a successful day!

While running our Wednesday food larder, we invited healthcare workers to come speak to our communities about their health, vaccinations and COVID.

COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on ethnic minority groups was suspected early in the crisis, but the headline figures of deaths and economic damage hide a far more complex story.

We know that the first thing to do is to create a connection and a dialogue between the healthcare system and the members of our communities, to establish trust and ensure everyone, no matter their ethnicity, situation and possible language barrier feels safe to talk to healthcare workers.

That's the path we started on yesterday, hosting a consultation and vaccination centre by NHS health workers at our larder. Many people sat to have a chat with them, received critical information they might not have accessed otherwise, and had their jabs!

A very well done to everyone involved, the whole OCA team, the project leader Ridwan, and the incredible NHS staff who came to support our communities to look after their health ❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙

(Our larder happens every Wednesday from the big hall at the John Bunyan Baptist Church building, Crowell road OX4 3LN)

Did you know that black and minoritised ethnic groups in the UK are disproportionately impacted by Covid-19?

Come along to our open session this Wednesday (31st January) to find out more and speak to NHS professionals about any worries or questions you might have about taking the covid vaccine or booster shot.

If you have any questions, just contact Ridwan (project leader) at 07407183172
or email [email protected]

When: 10AM-2PM (Weds 31 Jan, 2024)
Where: OCA Food Bank, at the John Bunyan Baptist Church, Crowell Road OX4 3LN

Hope to see you there! 💚

Introducing our new project: the dementia engagement programme 2024

OCA, the Central Oxford Mosque Society (COMS), Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre (OHBRC) and Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK) will work together to improve the experiences of Oxford’s Muslim community in relation to dementia prevention, treatment and care.

A few days ago, on the 19th of January, Shona Forster (OHBRC) and Katie Thomas (ARUK) joined us at the Mosque to introduce this new programme to the local community. Will be visiting regularly, engaging visitors and presenting this project and all of OCA's work around physical health and wellbeing.

We hope, over time, to built trust in the local community to have conversations with us about their experiences and concerns in relation to dementia.

Would you like to find out more, or to share your own experience? Get in touch! Send us an email at [email protected]

The OX4 Food Crew is hosting a Ceilidh to raise much needed funds for thier Winter Appeal. As a proud Member of the OX4 Food Crew we wanted to spread the word.

A ceilidh is an energetic fun community dance open to all abilities and ages! Originally from Scotland/Ireland no prior dancing experience or a parnter is needed - just come along! All instructions will be provided and the amazing live band will provide the tunes to carry you along in dance.

Tickets are available on Eventbrite linked via the the Flo's website.

We hope to see you there!

Reposted from , a partnership of 9 grassroots organisations we are a proud part of

Put on your dancing shoes, we're hosting a party! 🕺🎶🎉

In support of our Winter Appeal, fundraising to ensure our 9 member organisations have enough resources to continue their critical work of facilitating healthy food access for all, we're gathering the community for a fun evening together at our very first OX4 Food Crew Ceilidh!

A Ceilidh, deeply rooted in Scottish and Irish tradition, is a lively and communal celebration that revolves around music, dance, and joyous interaction. 

At its heart, it features a live band playing traditional folk tunes while the dancers, whether seasoned or newcomers, join in synchronized steps and formations that are very easy to learn, even on the spot!

Think your favourite fantasy TV series' court ball scene - lively, cheerful and so much fun

Modern-day Ceilidhs blend the rich history of folk dances with a contemporary twist, creating a dynamic and inclusive social experience.

We want our Ceilidh to be a celebration that bridges the past and present, bringing people together through music, dance, and a shared appreciation for cultural diversity - an example of the power of community and the universal joy found in movement and music.

Come join us on Sunday 14th January at the St Clement's Community Centre, 7.30-10pm

Tickets are available for purchase via Eventbrite and all profits will go to the OX4 Food Crew Winter Appeal, supporting the work of 9 incredible organisations in East Oxford 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ceilidh-ox4-food-crew-fundraising-ceilidh-tickets-791102588137?aff=ebdsshother

Many thanks to for helping us organise and Oxford University's Ceilidh Band for agreeing to play live for us 🙏

Food donations are a lifeline for communities facing hunger and food insecurity. These acts of generosity bridge the gap between abundance and need, ensuring that nutritious meals reach those who struggle to put food on their tables

Today we received a generous donation of food and essential items from the lovely people at Larkrise Primary School - the school's staff collected donations from the parents and then delivered them to us, so that it could be included in today's bags at our Food Redistribution Service

Every Wednesday, from the big hall at the John Bunyan Baptist Church (formerly ArkT centre) on Crowell road, we offer bags of food to all people who are struggling to access food for themselves and their families, and today the bags had a little bit of extra love thanks to the staff and parents of Larkrise

Thank you! ❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜

2023 COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS LUNCH!!🎄🎁

We are throwing our annual, free Christmas lunch this Monday, 25 Dec - and you're all invited!

We know how hard this year's Christmas is for many of our community members, so we are cooking a delicious traditional Xmas lunch in a cozy, welcoming and safe community setting - and everyone is welcome 🫶

Join us on Christmas Day between 12-4pm at Flo's The Place in the Park, our cohosts, in Florence Park.

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We're still looking for some volunteers to help out at the event, and we are happy for people to bring and share baked desserts if they'd like. If you can help with this, call/text 07732 298 282

Also let us know if you're coming with kids, we'll make sure there's a little something special waiting for them from Santa 🎅 text 07732298282 if you're bringing kids so we can plan presents for them!

If you'd like to support us in delivering this community Christmas lunch, you could donate to the OX4 Food Crew's Winter Appeal, which will help us, Flo's and the other 7 partners carry out our essential community work this winter
https://www.givey.com/ox4foodcrewwinterappeal

We can't wait for Sunday, and wish you all a merry Christmas,
OCA
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💚 Thank you, Lord Mayor Lubna Arshad 💚

Volunteers are truly incredible people, investing their time and energy to support others, build their community, and make things a little bit better for all of us.

Our Lord Mayor of Oxford, Lubna Arshad has been volunteering with us for years now. She has helped us pack our Wednesday food parcels, run free holiday camps for children, serve food at our Christmas community meals, and more.

In her position of Lord Mayor, Lubna is raising funds for OCA as one of her Nominated Charities. Lubna knows how challenging it can be to keep our food redistribution service going, especially in terms of funding. We are lucky to have a large number of regular volunteers who sort, pack and deliver - but the food doesn't come for free, unfortunately.

We are therefore very grateful to Lubna for donating £500 (!) to OCA, which will help us partially cover our monthly bill to our supplier SOFEA.

If you'd like to help us help others, you can give a donation as little as £2 (and as big as you'd like) via:
1) our Ko-Fi page: https://ko-fi.com/oxfordcommunityaction
2) our website: https://oxfordcommunityaction.org/donate/
3) or support our OX4 Food Crew Winter appeal: https://www.givey.com/ox4foodcrewwinterappeal

Thank you! 🙏

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❄️ Winter Camp: THRIVE ❄️

There are only five days left to book your place for the upcoming Winter Camps at Ark-T, organised in partnership with us at Oxford Community Action.

If you're a working parent and need your children to attend a camp for a few days during the School Holidays, Camp Thrive is a fantastic opportunity: affordable, creative, innovative, and inclusive! We have some free spots for children who receive free school meal.

The young participants (aged 11-14) will learn skills in upcycling, fashion, print-making and much more. We will also be heading to London's V&A for a trip to see the DIVA fashion exhibition, and transport is included, as well as all meals.

Camp: THRIVE will be running on the 21, 22 December 2023 & 3, 4, 5 January 2024

Limited availability so book now: https://ark-tcentre.coordinate.cloud/list

❄️🍲 OX4 Food Crew Winter Appeal 🍲❄️

The OX4Food Crew, our alliance of 9 local organisations, is launching a Winter Appeal to help its members cover their costs and continue to provide their services through the roughest months of the year

This partnership was founded in 2020 in response to the crisis created by the pandemic, lockdowns, loss of employment, cuts to income and other factors that made it difficult for many members of our community to access food.

The 9 members are:
Oxford Community Act
Waste2Taste CIC, Food with a Conscience
Flo's - The Place in the Park
Ark-T
Oxford Mutual Aid
Donnington Doorstep
Syrian Sisters
Oxford City Farm
No Vice Ice CIC

All partners offer free / extremely accessible healthy food, employ surplus ingredients that would otherwise go to waste, offer free activities for the community and workshops that teach important skills and offer work experience, and so much more

In December and January, the challenge for all organisations is to find funding for our Christmas free community meals, parcels with food and other essentials for the Holidays, and presents for the most vulnerable members of our community, as well as covering the costs of energy and the running of our operations

Since we know that Oxford supports our work and people are keen to help and get involved, we have created the Winter Appeal to collect donations that will assist us in continuing our work for the community

If you can afford it, please consider making a donation here: https://www.givey.com/ox4foodcrewwinterappeal

We know this has been a difficult year after a series of difficult years and many people might find it impossible to make a cash donation

You can still help by sharing this Appeal with everyone you know: the more people we reach, the more small donations will add to the pot.

If you'd like, we can send you a file you could share in your WhatsApp and Telegram groups, email lists, Discord channels, workplace, colleagues, family etc. just reach out and we'll send the poster to you!

Thank you

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OX4 Food Crew Winter Appeal on Givey OX4 FOOD CREW IS FUNDRAISING TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY FOOD RELIEF THIS WINTER Winter can be an especially difficult time for lots of people. The on-going cost of living crisis, insecure housing and jobs, the rise in fuel prices and the school holidays can put additional strain on already stretched budge...

☕ OCA Coffee ☕

Come by our cafe every Monday to Thursday, 9-3 pm, Crowell Road, OX4 3LN, for delicious Routes Coffee. Curious how we learned to make americanos, cafe lattes, and flat whites? That is a very special story, the story of Dani.

Dani is an incredibly talented and giving young man from our communities. He is also extremely passionate about everything coffee-related: from growing to brewing to serving coffee. In between working two (!) jobs, Dani made time to repeatedly visit us early in the morning when we were starting out (coming by public transport from Whitney!), pass on what he has learned, and induct us in the art of coffee-making. There could not have been a more patient, and knowledgeable teacher. We are still stunned by Dani's ability to create the most beautiful, delightful coffees. And we are so, so thankful to him for training us.

So, however you like your coffees - whether you prefer cow, soy, oat, or no milk - we're ready to serve you. And each sip is inspired by some Dani magic.

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🍅🍠🧅 Food donation heroes 🍅🍠🧅

We'd like to say a huge thank you to the Glympton Park Estate for the donation they made yesterday to support our work in fighting food poverty in Oxford.

Sam and James: it's been a true pleasure to meet you, and thank you for your support!

Thank you to our friend Fran Gardner at the Rose Hill Junior Youth Club, who put us in touch with Sam and James so that we could receive this great donation of fresh produce.

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Images description: OCA director Hassan (middle), Sam (left) and James (right) pose in front of a table in the OCA Kitchen Café. On the table and underneath it are several crates and boxes of food

Our dear friends at Help The World Oxford a holding a bake sale to raise money for medical aid for Gaza TODAY from 12-3 pm in University Park near Keble Gate.

Come visit & support them by eating delicious baked goods.

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Two weeks ago, our longtime supporter and OX4 Food Crew superstar Makena Lohr finished her role as Communities Manager at Flo's - The Place in the Park. We will miss you so dearly, Makena, your positive attitude, commitment, and magical ability to make things possible.

We hope to see you at many future OCA events as our guest and hopefully, at some point in the future, again as our collaborator and co-dreamer.

All the best for the next step in your career!

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☕ Meet Our Routes Coffee Machine ☕

Are you ready for a feel-good coffee machine story? A few weeks ago, we had a problem. We wanted to open a café - but we had no coffee machine. And a good coffee machine costs several thousand pounds. As a grassroots organisation, we don't have that kind of money. What were we to do?

We spent many hours puzzling over this problem. Then we got a message out of the blue from Routes Coffee, a local coffee roasting business. We couldn't believe what they were offering us. They would provide us with a high-quality coffee machine. And all we had to do in return was to commit to buying all our coffee, hot chocolate, and chai exclusively from them. It was an amazing deal.

Only a few days later, our Routes coffee machine arrived. It is not only BEAUTIFUL (can you tell that we're in love?), but also makes some of the most delicious coffee we have ever tasted. And we have very high standards. Thank you so much, Routes, for this generous solution.

Come and find out yourself just how good our coffee is. We're open every Monday-Thursday, 9-3 pm, Crowell Road, OX4 3LN, just behind the Templar Square shopping centre.

And if you'd like to order amazing coffee for your home or next event, give Routes a try: https://routescoffee.co.uk/ You won't regret it.

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⚜️ Oxford Scout Investiture ⚜️

We're finally finding the time to share with you one of our absolute highlights from the last few days. Two weeks ago, our scout group had their first ever investiture to officially form the 55th Oxford Cub Scouts group. They became Oxford's first scout group to establish in more than 10 years!

At this important event, our cubs showed off their newly gained skills in front of the Oxfordshire Scouts leadership. They then received badges and uniforms including the neckers they had designed for themselves. They worked towards that day for months.

We are so very proud of you! 👏🏾

Thank you to all the volunteers and Scouts elders who made this day possible, to Ark-T for hosting us, and to our mayor Councillor Lubna Arshad Oxford Labour for honouring us with your presence.

Here's to many more generations of OCA Scouts!
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🍲 One month of free meals 🍲

On Tuesday, we celebrated one month of free Tuesday lunches at OCA Kitchen community cafe. Over 200 (!) community members have joined us over the last four Tuesdays. We had not expected to have so many customers so quickly - thank you! Over many chats, we have gotten to know our local community better and shared our mission. We can't wait to continue to dish it up for you.

Join us every Tuesday from 12.30 pm for free lunch at Crowell Rd, OX4 3LN.

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🏞️ Isle of Purbeck Family Hike 🏞️

Last Saturday, we headed back to Dorset for another of our monthly family hikes. We had a long walk (7.5miles!) around Studland, taking in some impressive views. Afterwards, we spent the afternoon at the beach on one of the hottest days of the year so far.

Knoll beach is part of the Studland National Nature Reserve and has a 4 mile stretch of white sand backed by sand dunes. There are plenty of water sports to try and we had a blast on the boat brought all the way there by Mujahid, organiser of the monthly hikes. The kids also particularly enjoyed the paddling boats.

Hiking on your own can be a little bit scary. Hiking in a wonderful, diverse group is fun, liberating and you get to meet all the amazing personalities in the community. After we hike together, we eat together too – and everyone is welcome!

So what are you waiting for? You can join our hikes by filling the contact form on our website, https://oxfordcommunityaction.org/upcoming-hike-details/, and accepting the invitation to the Telegram group - that's where we organise the hikes, decide where to go, and put all the information you'll need!

We hope you'll join us on our next adventure!

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Thank you to everyone who came to join us today for the first Free Meal Tuesday today. We were delighted to welcome you into our space. Every Tuesday from 12.30 pm - 2 pm, all our guests eat for free at our cafe at Crowell Road, OX4 3LN.

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✨ OCA Cafe OPEN! ✨

We are delighted to share with you that OCA Kitchen Community Cafe opened today. We are so excited! Whether it's for a breakfast, lunch, or a cup of coffee, we're looking forward to welcoming you into our space at Crowell Road, OX4 3LN.

Tomorrow is our first free Free Meal Tuesday. From 12.30pm - 2pm, all our customers eat for free.

Will you join us?
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🎊🍾 OCA Kitchen Community Café Grand Opening 🍾🎊

Yesterday, we welcomed our volunteers, long-time supporters, and other special guests for the unofficial opening of OCA Kitchen Community Café. It was a lovely party and we were delighted to see so many friends coming to support us and celebrate this incredible milestone.

We were incredibly grateful to Councillor Lubna Arshad Oxford Labour, the incoming Mayor of Oxford and our loyal supporter, for leading the ceremony.

Thank you to the members of John Bunyan Baptist Church, our landlords, for joining us on this special occasion. A huge cheers to our partners at the OX4 Food Crew who came last night to share our joy and excitement for this new beginning. We appreciate our hosts Ark-T for everything you have given us (a lot!).

Thank you to Cllr Jabu Nala-Hartley, Oxford Community Foundation, OCVA, University of Oxford, Healthwatch Oxfordshire, Aspire Oxfordshire, and all our other esteemed guests for being there, for your support, encouragement and advice, and for working with us on projects that mean so much to our communities.

We were so happy to see Bayer Neverloosen, winners of our Eid Extravaganza charity football tournament back in April. We had promised them a dinner on us in our own venue to celebrate their win - and finally, we could deliver!

Bayer Neverloosen and the other teams who took part in the OEE Coronation Cup helped raise over £2,000 for a group of orphaned girls in Somalia we've been supporting throughout the years, ensuring they can stay in school and learn a profession in order to become financially independent.

Thank you to our DJ, the all-round talented Euton Daley for providing the soundtrack to this momentous event.

An you-are-all-amazing, through-the-roof thank you to our chefs at OCA Kitchen Oxford, Camille, Cllr. Imade Edosomwan, Touhida, and Sarah Hamidi for preparing the delicious food our guests enjoyed. You are the bedrock of this project.

We hope to see you again soon at the OCA Kitchen Community Café!

The café will be open to the public from Monday to Thursday 9am till 4pm, starting Monday next week (June 26). Visit us in Ark-T at Crowell Road, OX4 3LN.

🚧 Cafe opening delayed to next Monday 🚧

OCA Kitchen Community Cafe won't be ready in time for our planned opening tomorrow. We are still sorting out some final issues. We should be ready to serve you next Monday, June 26. Next Tuesday, June 27, will be our first day of free meals for all our guests.

We hope you are able to join us next week.

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🎤 Caribbean stories with Jan Blake 🎤

Yesterday, we welcomed storyteller Jan Blake into OCA Kitchen Community Cafe. We loved hearing about Jan's experiences, and appreciated the space she created for community members to share their experiences with stories, proverbs, and riddles. The event was rounded off with some delicious cakes.

We can't wait to host many more such cultural events in our space. Have got an idea you're excited to share with us? Or an event that's looking for a new community-owned home? Please get in touch! By email: [email protected], instagram: oca_kitchen_oxford, or through our website https://oxfordcommunityaction.org/oca-kitchen/.

The Jan Blake event was supported by The Story Museum in partnership with ACKHI, TORCH - The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities, John Bunyan Baptist Church, and ourselves.

🎉 First guests at OCA Kitchen Community Café 🎉

Last week, we opened our doors to our first unofficial guests at OCA Kitchen Community Café.

First, we dished up our food and presented our vision to our landlords at John Bunyan Baptist Church. It was wonderful to welcome you, and we look forward to what we hope will be a long and fruitful partnership.

Second, the Atlantic Fellows at Rhodes Trust came to visit us for lunch and an inspiring conversation on local and international politics. Thank you for your visit and all your important work.

Will you come visit us, too?

OCA Kitchen Community Cafe is open for group events and bookings from next Wednesday, 21 June. Contact us by email: [email protected], instagram: oca_kitchen_oxford, or through our website https://oxfordcommunityaction.org/oca-kitchen/

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