GreenSquareAccord (GSA), a social landlord serving Oxfordshire, supported 29 community projects last year through its Community Impact Fund, awarding more than £50,000 in grants.

The fund supports customer groups, charities, and voluntary and community organisations working in GSA communities.

Sian Every, community investment and social value lead at GSA, said: “It is fantastic to see our Community Impact Fund continue to grow, supporting a diverse range of community organisations and awarding more grants each year.

“Thanks to increased donations from some of our suppliers, as part of their social value commitments, we were able to increase the maximum grant available from £1,000 to £2,000 per project.

“We are grateful to the GSA Customer Panel for judging the applications and to our supply chain partners for their contributions to the funding pot.

“Their support strengthens the impact we can make together.”

During the 2025–26 financial year, GSA awarded £51,467 through the fund—more than double the £20,542 distributed the previous year.

Projects supported include a £2,000 grant to Oxford Hospitals Charity for the refurbishment of the Jane Ashley Garden, £978 to Rose Hill Junior Youth Club, and £1,000 for a community kitchen supporting women on low incomes.

The fund prioritises projects that help customers develop financial and employment skills, improve digital inclusion, and promote health and wellbeing.

Other supported initiatives include strength and balance classes for older people in Walsall, coached netball sessions for women in Melksham, and assisted reading programmes in Oxfordshire.

GSA owns and manages more than 3,800 social homes across Oxfordshire.

The post-doctoral Academic Clinical Lectureship is designed to support nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, healthcare scientists, pharmacy staff, and psychologists (NMAHPPs) in Oxford who want to pursue careers in academic clinical research.

Professor Helen Walthall, director of nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals research and innovation at Oxford University Hospitals (OUH), said: “NMAHPPS play a vital and growing role in delivering high-quality, evidence-based healthcare.

“But unlike medical doctors, they don’t have a recognised clinical academic pathway, which can limit their ability to pursue a clinical-academic research career.”

The new roles, based within the Oxford University Clinical Academic Graduate School (OUCAGS), offer a two-year programme split equally between research and clinical practice.

Three posts are funded by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre (Oxford BRC), and a fourth by the NIHR Oxford Blood and Transplant Research Unit (BTRU).

Ms Walthall said the scheme addresses a key gap in research leadership training.

She added: “Developing clinical academic careers for our NMAHPPS workforce is a key strategic aim for OUH and the Oxford BRC.

“They fill a gap in research leadership training for NMAHPPS, and we hope that in future this will be seen as an important step towards developing a steady stream NMAHPPS who are confident, independent and successful principal investigators leading their own research groups.”

The four appointed NMAHPPs are all current staff at Oxford University Hospitals.

One is a lecturer and two are alumni of Harper Adams University in Shropshire.

Among the nominees are Chloe Gimson, who now works for Savills in Oxford and studied BSc (Hons) Agriculture with Farm Business Management at Harper Adams.

Ms Gimson is shortlisted for the Rising Star of the Year category, alongside fellow graduate Isla Soutter.

Louisa Dines, principal lecturer and course manager for agriculture at Harper Adams, is a finalist in the Training and Education Woman of the Year category.

Ms Gimson said: “It is a real honour and I am humbled to have been shortlisted alongside so many talented women within agriculture.

“So much of the work I do, whether it is supporting farmers through my day job, championing British produce or engaging with the public through education and food, comes from a genuine passion for the industry.”

She joined Savills after graduating in 2021 and has since progressed from graduate to associate in the Food & Farming team.

Ms Gimson has remained involved in agriculture outside her day job, serving as chair of the Society of Agriculture Thames Valley Group and as a member of the Ladies in Pigs Committee.

Ms Soutter, who now works for ABP and is based near Ashby de La Zouch, Leicestershire, praised those who inspired her during her studies.

She said: “I’m especially proud to be shortlisted alongside Louisa Dines, who taught and guided me during my time there and contributed so much to my development.”

Since graduating, Ms Soutter has taken on the role of agriculture manager at ABP, working on the company’s gamechanger accounts.

She credits Harper Adams with shaping her career.

Ms Soutter said: “Harper was where everything began for me, opening up opportunities and giving me the space to grow in confidence and determination.”

Ms Dines, who is based at the university’s Edgmond campus, said she was delighted by the recognition.

She said: “It is made even more special by the fact that two of the Rising Star nominations for the awards are recent Harper alumni that I, along with many others at Harper Adams, have taught.

“Watching their journey into a career in Agriculture is what makes this job so rewarding and to see them nominated for an award so early in their careers is just fantastic.”

Both Ms Gimson and Ms Soutter were previously shortlisted for the Agricultural Student of the Year award during their final year at Harper Adams.

The National Women in Agriculture Awards will take place in London in early May.