In February 2014, Oxfordshire Community & Voluntary Action (OCVA) recruited and trained six volunteer community ambassadors to offer support to charities and community groups in the market towns in Oxfordshire.

A year later, and it’s time to celebrate the achievements of OCVA’s community ambassador for Wantage & Grove, Linda Baines.

Sustainable Wantage is a community action group (CAG), run by volunteers interested in lifestyles that have a lower impact on the environment and increase their resourcefulness and resilience as a local community. It is a non-profit co-operative – a ‘Society for the Benefit of the Community’.

Members of Sustainable Wantage run events and activities based around the central themes of food, energy, waste, environment, transport and community.

Their activities cover topics such as growing food at the Wantage Market Garden Project and in public spaces around town, helping people save energy, renewable generation projects, encouraging the reduction of waste and consumption through recycling, swapshops, composting and upcycling projects.

They also promote protection of the natural environment and biodiversity, promoting low-impact travel, supporting local independent trade and strengthening community connections through running events like the autumn festival and the creation of a local groups network.

The site at 15 Mill Street, Wantage had been in need of work for a while and, along with its neighbour, had hindered a Mill Street revival due to long-term emptiness.

Sustainable Wantage reached an agreement with the landlords to make the space usable again in return for a rent-free period during which it was available for community activities.

It was named The Mix and became part of a firm fixture in the town’s landscape. In spring 2014, Sustainable Wantage ran a crowdfunding campaign to raise £3,000 to cover the first six months’ rent for The Mix. With the pledges from the community, Wantage Town Council and Oxfordshire County Council, Sustainable Wantage achieved their target within their deadline.

Inside The Mix, there is a resource area where household items can be brought or taken, a mini book & DVD swap library and hot desking facilities, plus information about local projects and organisations. Local groups, organisations, businesses and individuals can book The Mix for activities, fundraising, promotion, meetings, workshops and presentations.

Since March 2014, Linda Baines, volunteer Community Ambassador for Wantage & Grove, has been helping Sustainable Wantage in various ways, supporting volunteer recruitment, undertaking research on ethical bank accounts, promoting their successful crowdfunding campaign for The Mix, developing their hot-desking agreement and supporting them with funding research.

A huge thank you and congratulations to Linda on her anniversary of volunteering for Sustainable Wantage and as OCVA’s Community Ambassador for Wantage & Grove.