OxClean is an Oxford Civic Society initiative dedicated to cleaning up Oxford and keeping our city clean and tidy all year round. The overall objective is to establish our streets and public spaces as places designed for the safe enjoyment of the people. Our strategy is to both clean up accumulated litter and rubbish and to prevent the problem occurring in the first place.
Spring Clean
In partnership with Oxford City Council and The Oxford Times, we initiated and co-ordinated Spring Clean 2008 -for full details about the event and its achievement go to Spring Clean 2008. We are now planning Spring Clean 2009 which will take place on Friday 6th March and Saturday 7th March – for initial details go to Spring Clean 2009.
Schools’ Education Campaign
Our annual ‘Anti Litter Schools’ Competition’ amongst Secondary Schools in 2007 concluded with the award of a shield to Cheney School. The competition is now extending into Primary Schools.
New Campaigns
Following Spring Clean 2008, we reviewed ‘Feedback’ from participating community groups and schools, points raised by attendees of a Debrief Seminar, discussions with our partners Oxford City Council and our own experience. From this review we have identified the sources, causes, places and people/organisations that are at the root of the problem.
This has been the basis for defining a number of potential OxClean campaigns. Currently, we are prioritising these campaigns and will be implementing the top priorities from July onwards. Amongst the campaigns being considered are:
- tackling the problems caused by ‘eating and drinking on the go’
- clearing the pavements of cigarette ends
- removing flytip and ensuring that future tipping is minimised
- getting the Ring Road cleaned up and staying clean
Other Initiatives
- We invited Chris Hines, Sustainability Director of the Eden Project, to give a talk entitled “A Cleaner Oxford: Lessons from Eden” which was attended by Civic leaders, retail representatives, society members and other interested members of the public
- Environment Group members visited Winchester to meet with leading councilors there in order to establish how they have made their city cleaner and greener
