Iffley Fields NaturEscape

A community-led collaboration with Oxford City Council to bring more biodiversity, nature play and community connection into our local playground.
This volunteer-run project is transforming the Meadow Lane playground into a nature-inspired play space for children, families and the wider community. Working in partnership with Oxford City Council and informed by local consultation, we’re enhancing the existing play area with natural features that support wildlife, encourage active outdoor play, and create welcoming spaces for all ages. Practical tasks include digging, moving soil, planting hedges and wildflowers, and cutting back old mesh fencing as we begin turning the newly opened area into forest-school play zones and wildlife-friendly habitat. This is our project website: https://www.iffleyfieldsnaturescape.co.uk/

20 GoodGymers have supported Iffley Fields NaturEscape with 5 tasks.


Top supporters
TaskForce
Henry Gibson
Henry Gibson
TaskForce
Joe Montague
Joe Montague (He/him)
Oxford runner
TaskForce
Vicky Arnold
Vicky Arnold

Previous sessions
OxfordGroup run
+8
Anja
Ben Gremson
Vicky Arnold
Bethan Greenaway
Becky

That is a FINE reciprocal frame structure you have there!

Wednesday 15th April

Written by Bethan Greenaway

This evening we returned to the Meadow Lane playground project. Headed up by the amazing Usha, the project aims to transform the current playground into a more vibrate open and green play space for the community, encouraging children to make dens, explore nature and run free!

We have visited the playground a couple of times before and it is quickly becoming a favorite because we get to revisit our childhoods and BUILD DENS!!!!!

Today's structure was nothing short of amazing - surely classes as a one bed in a central location with good transport links to the city centre.......

A group of us also tackled the pesky metal fencing which is getting trickier to remove as we get to the parts where the trees have claimed the fence as their own. With bolt cutters,saws and determination we managed to clear another huge section.

Last but not least, grass was cleared and soil turned over for an incoming wild flower patch. Everything is beginning to take shape wonderfully!!

Welcome Goodgym Miguel, Nathanail and Genevieve. Thank you for coming and I'm really sorry about the map confusion!!

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OxfordGroup run
+6
Anja
Vicky Arnold
Bethan Greenaway
Anwen Greenaway
Ellie Evans

Dens, Dogs & Transforming Community Spaces

Wednesday 18th March

Written by Bethan Greenaway

GoodGym made a return to Meadow Lane this week, supporting a brilliant volunteer‑run project that’s transforming a local playground into a nature‑inspired space for children and the wider community. The aim is to encourage active outdoor play, whilst protecting the local wildlife and promoting biodiversity. We split into two teams to help move the project forward. One group got stuck into cutting back ivy and removing old wire fencing, using hammers to flatten any sharp ends. Clearing this area will open up a new area for children to explore safely. The second team focused on moving logs & branches to build an exciting new den and hideout space for children. We also had a very special guest GoodGymer - Isabella the dog. Isabella took on branch-moving responsibilities and kept morale high!
We’re looking forward to returning next month to continue the transformation, and build more dens!

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OxfordCommunity mission
Joe Montague
Henry Gibson
Emma

The Tenacious Trio

Saturday 28th February

Written by Emma

Three of us headed out to the Meadow Land Playground to help them establish their new NaturEscape project. We (surprisingly accurately) marked and cleared a circle for the log circle, dug some new areas ready to plant medicinal plants, and cut away ivy and wire fencing to make a more child-friendly den-area.

This was the first session launching the new project, so there will be more tasks to come!

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