Funding for Oxfordshire’s environment

TRUST for Oxfordshire’s Environment, TOE2 for short, Oxfordshire’s independent environmental funder, is seeking ‘creative, ambitious and visionary projects that will deliver real, strategic and lasting benefits to Oxfordshire’s environment’.

Since 2011,  TOE2 has provided more than £1.25million to more than 250 projects across Oxfordshire, supporting better wildlife habitats, better access to green spaces and better ways of reducing our carbon footprint.

If you have a partly developed project or even a good idea for a project, they would love to hear from you. They may be able to put you in touch with individuals or organisations to help you take your project forward.

TOE2 is also looking for biodiversity projects to offset the loss of woodland and scrub habitats associated with the electrification of the Greater West Line. The Trust is working with Network Rail to make funds available for woodland and scrub biodiversity projects in Oxfordshire, South, City and Vale, and in Berkshire (West, Reading, Wokingham, and Windsor and Maidenhead).

Stepping up to invest in a sustainable future for Oxfordshire

“With so many development pressures, this is the time to invest in a sustainable future for the county,” believes TOE2, and it is planning to expand by developing a designated Environment Fund so individuals and organisations can invest in the future of Oxfordshire’s environment. The first step will be to increase the small staff team by recruiting a part-time Development Officer; contact the Trust for further details; 01865 407003.

As a place based environmental funder, TOE2 believes that it knows about and understands local needs and priorities, and seeks to ‘secure sustainable funding for a sustainable future for Oxfordshire and its communities’. Current funders include Grundon Waste Management (through the Landfill Communities Fund), Network Rail, Whittard of Chelsea, Brakspear, Oxfordshire County Council and the Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre (TVERC).

Celebrating the impact of TOE2 funded projects

During 2017, TOE2 provided more than £100,000 to projects across the county. These projects give a flavour of what they support and of what local groups and communities are achieving:

• Supporting access to green spaces and the countryside – better rights of way with better access points and signage at Sydenham in the South, Buscot Estate in the Vale
and Adderbury Lakes in Cherwell. Better boardwalks along the Thames Path at Cholsey and a new access point on the River Cherwell so boat users can enjoy the
meadows at Marston Hamm.

• Supporting richer wildlife habitats – Restoring ponds at Heyford meadow near Sandford, improving wetland habitats for curlew and other waders at Balscote Quarry
in Cherwell, improving the biodiversity of limestone meadows on the edge of Oxford through fencing and grazing and supporting the RSPB’s innovative Swift City
Project in Oxford City.

The Trust has also supported BBOWT in the purchase of 113 acres of farmland to add to their Chimney Meadows nature reserve, the first nature reserve on both sides of the Thames. Here the river will be allowed to flood the area and water will be held in ponds and pools providing habitats for waders and other wildlife.

• Supporting the Low Carbon Agenda – A whole raft of energy efficiency improvements in community buildings across the county, from South Newington and Bodicote
in Cherwell to Uffington in the Vale and Wallingford and Sutton Courtenay in the South. We were delighted to work in partnership with the Low Carbon Hub to
support energy efficiency measures at the Abbey in Sutton Courtenay.

To find out more about TOE2, visit the website HERE