Assisting residents to build strong and stable communities across Oxfordshire is the aim of the ‘One Community’ projects run by Oxford Citizens Housing Association (OCHA), part of the GreenSquare housing group.

One Community asks residents what would make their area a better place to live, then works with residents and local agencies to draw up and carry out a community action plan. Various community groups get involved with the One Community projects, from the Oxfordshire Playbus and the Children’s Centre to PCSOs and lunch clubs operating in the area who think residents might benefit from their services. So far the project has run in areas of Banbury, Abingdon, Kidlington, Witney, and most recently in Wallingford.

Residents are encouraged to get involved to ensure its long-term benefits to the community.

There is a budget for small physical improvements to the estate and community activities to build community spirit. A small physical problem within a neighbourhood can result in poor community relations — and the investment in the community with the installation of extra bin stores or a cycle store can often make all the difference. The extra investment of time and resource that One Community brings is for a fixed period and when the project leaves an area, OCHA continues to deliver its service as a landlord as it does in all areas that it owns and manages homes.

There are regular neighbourhood walkabouts and community clean-up days, and OCHA also continues to work with active residents who participate in ongoing groups and projects and act as an extra link between OCHA and the community; in one area an active neighbourhood watch scheme has continued long after One Community has moved on.

GreenSquare’s investment in communities is not limited to the One Community project; with properties across Oxfordshire, its community workers run or support projects in many towns and villages as well as Oxford city. These included 11 clean-up days last summer which enabled residents to take pride in their area by using the skips provided to clean up their community.

And there is the Community Chest Fund that provides small grants to community groups operating in areas where OCHA has properties. To find out which areas OCHA covers or for more information on any of the above please visit www.ocha.org.uk or call 01865 773000.