COMMUNITY groups will be arming themselves with skills and inspiration next month to help fight climate change on their door-step.

Scores of climate-minded community groups will gather at Oxford Town Hall, in St Aldate’s, for the county’s first Big Climate Event.

Organisers say the event, on Saturday, November 7, could be the first of its kind in the UK.

Project manager Simon Kenton, from Community Action Groups Oxfordshire, said: “It’s a way for people to exchange skills – it’s not just a talking shop.

“The event is aimed at community groups to get involved and get ideas from other community groups.

“It’s not about the little things that you can do on a day-to-day basis at home, it’s about putting bigger projects in place.”

Representatives from about 40 groups – including Sustainable Wallingford and Barracks Lane Community Garden Project – are attending.

Workshops are planned throughout the day to demonstrate how projects like food exchanges, swap shops, micro-hydro generators, food banks and eco-refill stations can be set up.

There will also be guidance on how people can get planning permission for solar panels, recycle timber and paint and reduce waste with innovative techniques.

Mr Kenton added: “We want to give them the skills and ideas. I want people to leave feeling hopeful that it’s not all doom and gloom and feel that they’re part of something much bigger.”

People thinking of starting up a new community group are encouraged to attend a session at the event dedicated to helping them get projects off the ground.

The day begins at 9.30am Places cost £5 per person.