The Old Stables in Wantage is throwing open its doors for a big summer party on Saturday, 28 June.
This free event will feature a delicious community meal made from surplus food, live music, storytelling, speakers, and hands-on art workshops.
There’ll also be a makers market showcasing the work of local creatives and a special Desert Island Discs-style interview with Reverend Tim Hewes, local vicar and activist.
The Old Stables was opened three years ago by Makespace Oxford, a not-for-profit organisation that transforms underused buildings into vibrant community hubs with affordable studios, offices, and workspaces. It provides below-market rents so that local enterprises can thrive, particularly focusing on supporting organisations for social good.
Once a day centre for the older adults, the space is now home to a vegetarian community café, co-working facilities, an interior design company, an upholsterer, and The Makery – a collective of crafters.
All of these organisations have sustainability at their core, whether that’s through reducing food waste or using recycled or sustainable materials. The building also houses a visual artist, and will soon welcome a sculptor and photographer.
“The party is not just a way of highlighting the organisations and individuals who call us home, but a way to build a closer connection with our local community,” says Lizzie Philpott, Community Coordinator. “We want people to use us more, not just as a place to meet, but somewhere they can grow as a business or as an artist.”
The Old Stables is one of more than 30 buildings across Oxfordshire that Makespace has brought back into community use, supporting over 255 organisations and creating more than 300 jobs across the county.
This event promises to provide participants with an opportunity to discover the space, meet the people behind it, and celebrate summer with food, music, fun, and creativity.
