OXFORD-based charity Oxfam has announced a £20,000 fund to support groups in the city fighting poverty.

Ten of the city’s 85 neighbourhoods are in the top 20 per cent of most deprived areas in the UK, and some groups in the city, including asylum-seekers and refugees, rely on the support of charities, says Oxfam.

Since the creation of its Corporate Social Responsibility Fund in 2008, Oxfam, based in Cowley, has allocated 14 grants to local charities – including the Agnes Smith advice centre in Blackbird Leys and a lunch club for pensioners in East Oxford.

Last year, Refugee Resource received a grant for £3,000 to set up a hardship fund for people who couldn’t pay for essentials like food and bills.

Kate Wareing, Oxfam’s director of UK poverty, said: “Oxfam fights poverty all over the world, including in the UK. The focus of our work here is to ensure everyone has a secure income, which gives them enough money to live on.

“We tell the public about the difficulties poor people face, and why they should be treated with dignity and respect.”

Any groups interested in applying should email ukpoverty@oxfam.org.uk for more information.