A RALLYING cry has gone out for volunteers in Bicester to help create a community garden on the site of an historic former school.

The green space in the grounds of the former St Edburg’s School, off Cemetery Road, is being transformed by community action group Grassroots Bicester, which was invited by young adults charity OYAP (Oxfordshire Youth Arts Partnership) to use the site to create a a ‘much-needed green space’ in the town centre.

OYAP, which supports creative projects throughout the county, recently moved into the former St Edburg’s School.

The charity has now called on Grassroots Bicester to help with the transformation of the grounds which have been left to become overgrown.

Grassroots Bicester is now looking for volunteers to help get the project off the ground and create the garden for the local community.

Tia Wedgewood-Cathey of Grassroots Bicester said: “The project will be centred around great community teamwork.

“We were invited by OYAP to create a community garden in the grounds of the former St Edburg’s School, providing a much needed green space within the town centre.

“This project will provide a beautiful haven open to local people, allowing them to interact and enjoy nature and wildlife and learn about growing fruit and vegetables as well as the social aspect of meeting new people and learning new skills.”

Ms Wedgewood-Cathey added: “The community garden will encourage sustainable land management and improve the quality of the local environment, by turning a disused site into a haven for food production and wildlife.

"The community garden will provide a safe, recreational green space in an urban area and help improve local air quality.”

The group hope to find a team of volunteers to help plan and build the space, as well as local businesses to assist with volunteering time and materials.

For more details or to join Grassroots Bicester for the project as a volunteer get in touch with grassrootsbicestercag@gmail.com.