AN ECO-GROUP aiming to encourage people to reduce their carbon footprint has been relaunched.

Low Carbon East Oxford was first formed in 2009 and attracted nearly 100 members.

But organisers said due to the nature of the area’s transient population, several key people had moved on.

Now acting chairman and founder Craig Simmons has ‘relaunched’ the group to re-energise its efforts.

He said: “The group has done excellent work and been responsible for a number of excellent local initiatives and activities.

“As often happens, some key people moved on and activity dropped off. But there is a lot of enthusiasm and energy around so I thought it worth stepping back in as acting chairman and relaunching the group.”

As well as providing networking opportunities and information for like-minded environmentally friendly folk, the group pushed for as many people as possible to get solar panels installed.

Costs such as scaffolding were shared to make it more affordable, and about 30 people – including Mr Simmons and his wife Elise Benjamin, the Lord Mayor – have had the panels installed through a link with company Joju Solar.

Mr Simmons said the new focus for the group would be to get people from East Oxford’s many shared houses on board.

He said: “We want to work with landlords to get solar panels on rented properties.

“In East Oxford quite a lot of people live in rented accommodation so don’t have any power to put things like solar panels up. If we can get one on board then hopefully we will be able to get more, and tenants will benefit from lower energy bills as well.”

Low carbon, locally-grown food is also an area of interest for the group, along with sharing green initiatives both within the area and from further afield.

A Low Carbon Oxford umbrella organisation was recently established, linking groups across the city including West Oxford and Wolvercote.

Mr Simmons said the relaunched group would have a stall at Cowley Road Fiesta on Sunday. He said: “Because of the high turnover of people we need to have a constant stream of information coming out.

To find out more about the group, email low-carbon-east-oxford@googlegroups.com