Bicester gardening group shuts down over council dispute

Harvest at Home Bicester, a branch of the Cherwell Collective Community Interest Company, closed as of Friday, May 1.

Launched in 2020, the group has invested more than £60,000 to improve Bicester’s green spaces and gardens, including 3,000 paid staff hours and hundreds of volunteers, completing work in places like Garth Park Walled Garden.

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But the work of the collective has been cut short, due to the failure to reach a land use agreement with Bicester Town Council, which owns two of the three spaces Harvest at Home Bicester has been managing – Garth Park and Grebe Road Gardens.

Local company Natta worked in Garth Park garden with the charity (Image: Harvest at Home Bicester / Amanda Groom)

The group said that despite repeated assurances since 2022 that the agreement would be signed, giving the collective security, protection and the ability to secure funding, the promises were not fulfilled.

A statement from the group said: “After four years of waiting, Cherwell Collective’s leadership came to the difficult realisation that the promises to sign the land use agreement are not likely to be fulfilled. 

“To protect the wider operations, we will cease our Harvest at Home operations in Bicester.”

Bicester Town Council declined to comment.

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Dr Emily Connally, founder of the Cherwell Collective, said: “We are so touched by the outpouring of appreciation we have received in the midst of a very emotional and difficult decision to close our Bicester operations.

Paid staff worked hard to make the gardens safe for volunteers to work in (Image: Harvest at Home Bicester / Emily Connally)

“We are especially inspired by our volunteers and partner organisations who have been unwavering in their support of Amanda’s great work.

“We are invested in continuing to support the Bicester community in spaces for which we have agreements.

“We could not have asked for a more beautiful day to celebrate Amanda’s achievements at the Garth Walled Garden today (Friday, May 1) and wish everyone a safe and happy holiday weekend.”

Amanda Groom, the Harvest at Home Bicester coordinator, has worked ‘diligently’ for the group for three years.

The announcement added: “In the aftermath of these events, our Bicester Harvest at Home coordinator, Amanda, has stepped down.

Amanda Groom with MP Calum Miller at a pop up larder in Bicester, where he presented the coordinator with her employee of the quarter award (Image: Harvest at Home Bicester / Emily Connally)

“We are heartbroken to lose her and have decided not to attempt to replace her.

“There would not be anyone for many miles who could ever replace the good work she has done.

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“As we are now unable to continue operations in Bicester, we sincerely hope that other entities with land use agreements can employ her in these spaces.

“She is a visionary and incredibly gifted coordinator whom we love dearly.”

It is understood that the Bicester volunteers working in the garden will continue caring for the green spaces separate to Cherwell Collective on a smaller scale, with co-operative Grassroots Bicester.