A NEGLECTED backyard at an Oxford community centre will be transformed into a outdoor haven thanks to a cash boost.

Volunteers are needed to help clean up the yard at East Oxford Community Centre after a £500 grant was secured from the city council.

Tenants of the centre, along with Fusion Arts and the Trustees of The East Oxford Community Association were awarded the cash to tidy up the yard and create its first real outdoor space.

More than 20 community groups use East Oxford Community Centre, on the corner of Cowley Road and Princes Street.

Lizzie McBain, from Fusion Arts, which runs 10 regular art groups at the centre, said: “This is great news for everyone who uses the centre, from Fusion’s art groups to the Artscape class for people with dementia, to Age UK and the Afro Caribbean Cultural Heritage Initiative.

“We will be installing some artworks, which are currently being created by various community art groups based at Fusion, as well as planting bee-friendly plants and vegetables and it will be really excited to see how it takes shapes in the coming months.”

She added: “Everyone will be getting involved and we will be looking forward to having a lovely place for people to sit, chat, eat and hold meetings and generally get to know each other.”

Sharon Highton is the project leader of Include, which supports teenagers who have been excluded from education at the centre.

She said: “We are all very pleased with the thought of having a great outdoors space and people from Include will be creating some wooden furniture to be used in the garden.”

l The project kicks off today with a group planting and clear-up session and the centre would welcome anyone who wants to help out.

The session will run from 5-9pm and anyone who wants to lend a hand should call the centre on: 01865 245735.

A barbecue is planned to reward volunteers’ efforts after the clean up.