Want to know what eco-y things are going on locally in the run up to Christmas? Well, how’s this for starters?:

November
⑰	Nature Hour | Fri 17th Nov, 10.30-11.30am | Moorside Place, The Moors (OX52UZ)  – Join us for a ‘Nature Hour’ led by Wild Kidlington officer Rhiannon Young. After a short nature talk on the topic of the day there’ll be a related nature-based activity to enjoy. This event is open to the public and is suitable for all ages and abilities. We meet in the lounge area next to the Willow Tree Cafe.
⑳	Ladies Christmas Swap Shop | Mon 20th Nov, 7.30pm | Kidlington Baptist Church (High St, OX5 2DS) – Swap clothes, gifts and toys in the run up to Christmas – save money and recycle! Please bring good / gift quality items to swap. Refreshments provided.
㉓	Hedgerow planting at Home Close Coronation Garden | Thurs 23rd Nov, 10am-11.30am | Home Close (OX5 2DN) – Come along and join other volunteers as we plant some hedges!
	Hedgerow planting at Lyne Rd Green | Thurs 23rd Nov, 1-2.30pm | Lyne Rd (OX5 1AE) – Another opportunity to join other volunteers in the noble art of hedge-planting!
December
①	Nature Hour | Fri 1st Dec, 10.30-11.30am | Moorside Place, The Moors (OX52UZ)  – Join us for a ‘Nature Hour’ led by Wild Kidlington officer Rhiannon Young. After a short nature talk on the topic of the day there’ll be a related nature-based activity to enjoy. This event is open to the public and is suitable for all ages and abilities. We meet in the lounge area next to the Willow Tree Cafe.
②	St Mary’s Fields Work Party | Sat 2nd Dec, 10am-12pm | St Mary’s carpark (OX52AZ) – Join the team of volunteers working on some wintry tasks to encourage nature and monitor river quality. Also enjoy a well-earned slice of Julia or Rosie’s homemade cake at half time!
	No Waste Noel + KEG stalls | Sat 10th Dec, 11–2pm | Exeter Hall (OA5 1AB)  – Waste Innovation Station Headquarters (WISH) is putting on a community Christmas bonanza complete with arts, crafts, food and more. Don’t miss the selection of KEG stalls running in parallel in the small hall!
⑥	Kidlington Gardening Society Social | Weds 6th December,7.30pm | Exeter Hall, small hall (OA5 1AB) – It’s Kidlington GArdening Society’s Christmas social. Why not come along to round off the year? If so, please bring a plate of food to share, and join in our Christmas Table Decoration competition.
⑦	KEG Meeting | Thurs 7th Dec, 1pm | Exeter Hall, small hall (OA5 1AB) – Join representatives of different local eco groups and enthusiasts to connect, communicate and collaborate.
⑮	Nature Hour | Fri 15th Dec, 10.30-11.30am | Moorside Place, The Moors (OX52UZ)  – Join us for a ‘Nature Hour’ led by Wild Kidlington officer Rhiannon Young. After a short nature talk on the topic of the day there’ll be a related nature-based activity to enjoy. This event is open to the public and is suitable for all ages and abilities. We meet in the lounge area next to the Willow Tree Cafe.
㉓	Cherwell Collective’s Big Lunch at Christmas | Sat 23rd Dec, 11am-2pm | Exeter Hall (OA5 1AB) – All are welcome to join this festive lunch for the community, complete with live music and catered with delicious and sustainable food by Climatarian Kitchen. Pay-what-you-can for the meal at the door – no set fee, donations only. Book a ticket to reserve your spot as seats are limited. If you’d like to reserve a ticket but can’t afford the £5 fee to book please get in touch via marketing.cherwellcollective@gmail.com.

And don’t forget there’s great stuff going on every week!

When & Where?		What?
Thursdays, 11am-2pmExeter Hall, Oxford Rd (OA5 1AB)		Cherwell Larder Marketplace – Get some food saved from landfill, and sample tasty cooked food from the Climatarian KitchenHarvest @ Home Seed Swap – Swap your surplus seeds and get planting
Fridays, 10am-12pmBetween Oxford Rd & Hazel Crescent (OX5 1ED)		Hazel Walk Community Allotments Work Party – Join the Harvest @ Home volunteers growing food for themselves and the community while caring for the nature on the plot.
Fridays, 11am-2pmExeter Hall, Oxford Rd (OA5 1AB)		Cherwell Larder Marketplace – Get some food saved from landfill, and sample tasty cooked food from the Climatarian Kitchen
Saturdays, 11am-2pmExeter Hall, Oxford Rd (OA5 1AB)		Cherwell Larder Marketplace – Get some food saved from landfill, and sample tasty cooked food from the Climatarian Kitchen

Local Eco News

Some headlines since the last update…

New Year Planning – Last week the team of volunteers who help run the Harvest @ Home community garden at Park Hill Recreation Ground drew up plans for the new year over hot chocolate at the Village Cafe. It’s been a good year but work has paused now over the winter. They’ll be swinging into action again on the 17th February 10am-12pm, when they’ll be shovelling compost and topping up their repurposed tyre planters. If you’d like to get involved save the date!

Apple Pressings – This Autumn Kidlington Abundance, whose aim is to rescue surplus apples and pears and transform them into delicious drinkable liquid delight, hosted 4 public events complete with their yellow scratter, and wooden presses. All in all they churned out 245 litres of juice (not including that drunk fresh from the press) – enough to fill 338 repurposed wine bottles, and several demijohns (for cider!). Over 120 people took part.

Co Wheels Car Club – Some of you will have spotted the new be-wheeled resident of Curtis Place carpark (behind Tesco). A rather dapper little MG 4 electric hatchback is available for hire. This is part of a county-wide pilot scheme that will be running until April 2024 – all details are on the OCC website: https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/…/electric-vehicle-pilot. Kidlington’s car is provided by a company called Co Wheels. If you sign up for the pilot to Co Wheels Car Club, you get free membership, no £5 monthly charge and £10 driving credit (just sign up using the code KIDLINGTON10: https://www.co-wheels.org.uk/kidlington). All of which sounds rather good and a step in the right direction ecologically speaking.

Kingly Plant Planting – Some final touches were made by the Parish Council, Wild Kidlington and volunteers to the new Coronation Garden at the entrance to Home Close at the beginning of the month. Perhaps you’ll have already seen the new trees, and insect and bee-loving flowers such as lavender and rosemary kindly donated by Bunkers Hill Garden Shop. If you missed getting your hands muddy – never you fear! There’s another opportunity to partake in some community action – on Thursday 23rd Nov you can help plant some hedges at Home Close or Lyne Rd Green! See above for more details.

If you have any local eco news or events to feed in to our next monthly digest please email: kidlingtonecogroup@gmail.com

Our next KEG meeting is on Thurs 7th Dec, 1pm @ Exeter Hall (in the small hall). All welcome!