A LOW carbon action group which has turned a tennis court into a vegetable patch will hold its first public meeting tonight.

Low Carbon South Oxford joins groups in the north, east and west of the city in an attempt to help residents make a difference to the environment.

Co-organiser Helen Graham said: “In very simple terms, we want to help the community of South Oxford to find ways of reducing their carbon footprint.

“We want to work together to find ways forward as a community, residents and organisations working together to make a difference.”

Although this is the group’s first meeting, it has already been involved in city-wide activities.

Earlier this month, members took part in a “big dig” to plant 1,000 trees on a college sports pitch and turn its tennis courts into a vegetable patch.

Corpus Christi College is leasing the land at Whitehouse Road, off Abingdon Road, to volunteers for a jar of honey a year.

Ms Graham said: “We have now named the land ‘Hogacre Common’ and we are jointly managing it with Low Carbon West Oxford.”

She said of the tree-planting: “Even though there was appalling weather, there was an amazing sense of community spirit.”

The meeting is at 7.45pm in St Matthew’s Church Hall, Marlborough Road.

Key topics will include transport and food.

The group has been funded for six months by a grant from the Department of Environment, which funds Ms Graham and colleague Ben Hayden to work one day a week.

Ms Graham said: “About three or four years ago, people set up a similar group here but it petered out.

“We want to show people there is a big community who are interested in low carbon issues in the area, and encourage people it can be lasting this time.”

She added: “We have lots of ideas about what we want to do next, but no concrete events yet.

“We want to listen to what people in the community want and go from there.”

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