A little bit About Us…
We started in 2009 as Transition Chipping Norton – a community initiative to help local people transition away from fossil fuels and towards a more sustainable way of living. Some of our early projects involved setting up the Chipping Norton Community Orchard, campaigning for better cycling provision and a community allotment.
Fast forward to 2023, we constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation to better meet the needs of our community. We are still part of the worldwide Transition Network, but in 2025 we rebranded as Sustainable Chipping Norton, in line with many other Transition Groups.
We are also part of Community Action Groups Oxfordshire, a network of over 50 Oxfordshire groups at the forefront of community led climate change action, organising events and projects to take action on issues including waste, transport, food, energy and biodiversity. The network runs over 1,000 events per year, attended by over 60,000 local residents.
Our Most recent impacts
Take a look through our recent Impact Reports which capture how these projects have strengthened resilience, enhanced the environment and connected people.
2025 Age-Friendly Award winner
Youth work and connected communities continues to be at the heart of our ethos, and we were delighted to win an award from Incommon for our Intergenerational Youth Social Action in April 2025.
Our wildlife parent wellbeing group met up yesterday at the lido and as always it was a delight to see what was new and developing.
The mound is now a thick thatch of diverse wildflowers, with yellow rattle doing it's best to take out some of the thick grasses to enable more wildflowers to take hold next year.
We weeded out the tall grasses area where opportunistic fat hen and spiny sowthistle were taking over, and planted in wild strawberries to help hold the soil in place. These were kindly donated to our Swap Shop on Friday so it was great to find the perfect spot for them, and imagine children foraging in the grasses in years to come.
The ermine moth seems to be under nature's control this year, with the tree on which the caterpillars feed breathing a sigh of relief.
We were treated to this gorgeous leopard moth, reminding us how much this area is populated by creatures at night after we have all gone home.
Fun to see our friendly willow bee bobbing away by the stretch tent, watching over all the pollinators visiting the flowers in the grass – thank you Liz and the team for opening this space for us.
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For anyone into crafts, quilting, sustainable fashion or just wanting some time to connect with others, a reminder that our Craft Cafe is on this WEDNESDAY 2 – 4 at Willow Gardens Bistro.
We are collecting for the Sustainable Fashion how at Blenheim this week so please bring along any items from the ITEMS NEEDED WISH LIST (see post lower down the thread / pinned above).
Please walk, bus or cycle if you can. If coming by car park along the road, not in the residents' carpark..Thank you!
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Just 6 weeks to go! Our annual Summer Play Day is coming soon and we are really looking forward to seeing you there…
We will be running our popular tie-dye station alongside our clothes swap, a children's book swap, and there will of course be many other fun things to do.
Please come on foot / by bike.
If you'd like to help out on the day we would love to hear from you – drop us a message on 07517 144828 or email office:sustainablechippingnorton.org
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It was our hottest Swap Shop yet with highs of 32, but Over Norton Village Hall stays amazingly cool, and the garden has some lovely mature shady trees which really made a difference.
Thank you to everyone who came and helped with set up, food and pack down – and especially those who took items away.
Despite half our regulars cancelling due to the heat, and MOR Bakery shutting, we had 42 people come and over 180 kg were saved from landfill.
Thank you to our teens who helped with origami workshops, and all those who brought along plants to share.
And sorry if you came early and wondered where the quiche and salads were- we had a lot of things in the fridge that only came out half way through by accident. Luckily discovered before we finished!
Don't worry though, nothing will go to waste as those at youth group on Tuesday will have any extras…
Our next Swap Shop is clothing and children's books at the Play Day on the 11th of August 11 – 3 at Cotswold Crescent Play Area. See you then.
(Please come on foot unless you have a disabled permit)
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So pleased to see the Chipping Norton Town Council offering the Town hall as a cool space in this heat.
Also big shout out to the Co-op for their cool seating area and Book Swap. A real life saver on such a hot week.🧊 Cool Refuge in Lower Hall Today – Until 2pm
If you are out and about and need to cool off, pop into the Lower Hall for a rest and some water!
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Come and join us tomorrow (Friday) afternoon and evening at Over Norton village hall…We will be running our Swap Shop (think jumble sale where everything is free) there will be gentle activities and crafts to do in the garden, cold food and drinks.
Bring some bits to share if you can, or just turn up.
Donations always welcome, as is help with setting up and packing down.
Help useful from 4, main event 5 – 8.
OX7 5PP
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