Companies combine to fit out Bicester Green’s new premises for free

By Sam Pither

23 December 2022

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Companies from across the UK have teamed up to fit out a charity’s new premises free of charge.

Bicester Green, an Oxfordshire-based environmental organisation, has spent the past five years working from three 40-foot shipping containers under temporary planning consent which was due to run out in March 2023, leaving the charity in search of new premises.

Celia Cornforth, Bicester Green’s centre manager, told Oxford Mail: “After several near misses we have finally found a home for part of our organisation to move into, 16 Sheep Street (formerly Dorothy Perkins), a retail unit that has sat empty for a few years.

“We will use this space as a sustainability hub, with our own shop moving in, with a zero waste shop courtesy of our partners Nothing but Footprints, the newly launching Bicester Green Library of Things, workshop space to run courses, and our volunteer run bike workshop where we recondition donated bikes and sell them, repair customer bikes, run Dr Bike sessions and service various bike library stocks.”

With its new location found, the charity reached out to its supporters to see if they could leverage their purchasing power to help with works on the site, such as updating to LED lighting and changing the front doors.

Mrs Cornforth added: “What happened next is the stuff of fairy tales. Following an onsite meeting with Parkway MK Construction they have set about a schedule of works on our behalf that is basically a DIY SOS job on the space, providing free labour to achieve all the works required.

“It doesn’t stop there; they have secured monetary donations – in the thousands - from customers for materials and equipment to use on this project.

“Their suppliers have pledged further generosity our way with a free kitchen, flooring, ceiling tiles, paint, skip and all the materials needed, and their subcontractors have confirmed provision and/or installation of replacement front doors, installation of LED lighting throughout, servicing of the VBAC system, Alarm service, CCTV and servicing of the heat curtain.”

According to a post on LinkedIn, the suppliers involved were Albion Land Limited, W Lamb Developments, Kevin Brandley at Mandek Ltd, Hillside Contracts Limited, ADP Aluminium Systems Ltd, K Sturge Decorating Limited, Smith Recycling, Yorkleigh Contracts Limited, Encon & Nevill Long, and Total Sealants Limited.

Work commenced on the new premises on Monday.

Mrs Cornforth added: “Myself and everyone at Bicester Green are absolutely stunned at the generosity, it’s incredible and it’s given us a real lift for what happens in the future.

“We’re currently tucked away, but with this new premises we can reach so many more people and make a big difference towards climate change and saving the planet.”

Featured image credit: Parkway MK Construction/LinkedIn

By Sam Pither

Sam is the Regional Editor of Biz News, responsible for both Hampshire and Dorset.

A new recruit to journalism, Sam started writing for the Business Magazine as a freelancer in May of 2022 after completing his degree in English at University College London. His passion for local businesses and ability to tell a story soon caught the attention of the publication’s management team and have led to his meteoric rise.

Sam, who lives in central Reading, takes a particular interest in technology, gaming and food and drink, having been a chef before starting his degree.