Glimpses of a Possible Future

Makespace Oxfordshire

A podcast series that platforms and celebrates projects that have inspired us along our journey so far. Together these projects form part of a growing movement of local communities transforming land, housing and civic infrastructure to work better for people and the planet.

We asked each group, what kind of a future do we want to make together? And, what ingredients would you like to offer up from what you've learned for co-creating a future that we all want to be a part of, that fosters a sense of belonging and centres health, equity and joy?

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15 episodes
Updated June 16

Episodes15

Newest first

June 16 · 27 min
Sustainable Wantage: Making space for a sustainable future in Wantage
We catch up with Jo Harvey (Sustainable Wantage) to talk about climate action and community support. From food projects to high street spaces, we discuss making a more sustainable future, one town at a time.
June 16 · 18 min
Natty Mark Samuels: Making space for African diaspora communities in The Leys
A talk with Natty Mark Samuels (The African School) on education, astronomy, and community in The Leys. We discuss representation and the value of access to local spaces.
June 9 · 25 min
Oxford Wood Recycling: Making space to reduce construction waste while building community
Adrian Sell (Oxford Wood Recycling) on tackling wood waste and building skills. We touch on sustainability, local community, and creating pathways into work.
May 11 · 42 min
Marta Lomza & Paula Fontaine: Making space for community gardens to support connection and wellbeing
We speak with Marta Lomza (CAG Oxfordshire) and Paula Fontaine (Body Mind Soul) on the power of community gardens. We explore how community gardens promote wellbeing and the need for long-term access to land.
April 15 · 36 min
Mandala Theatre Company: Making space for people of colour and white working class people to tell their stories
We hear from Yasmin Sidhwa (Mandala Theatre Company) on storytelling for social justice. We get into why representation matters and how the organisation makes space for unheard voices.
April 2 · 31 min
YWMP: Making space for young women, trans and non-binary people through music
Zahra Haji Fath Ali Tehrani and Lauren Corona (YWMP) on creating safer music spaces and holding space for young people to create and grow in confidence. We discuss misogyny in music and why dedicated music spaces matter.
April 2 · 28 min
Ultimate Picture Palace: Making space for community connection through film
We’re in conversation with Micaela Tuckwell (Ultimate Picture Palace) on saving Oxford’s community cinema. We discuss the importance of the UPP in the East Oxford community and how listening to multiple voices has made the cinema stronger.
April 2 · 32 min
The Berin Centre: Making space for the whole community in Berinsfield
We chat with Laura Harte (The Berin Centre) on building a community hub for all in Berinsfield. We explore social infrastructure, local growing, and designing spaces that truly respond to community needs.
April 2 · 2 min
Glimpses of a Possible Future season 2 intro
We're back for a second season of Glimpses of a Possible Future, talking to local people doing important work around Oxfordshire. People bringing communities together and tackling some of the biggest issues of our time, rooted in place and stewarding or reanimating space.
Dec 14, 2023 · 15 min
Making space for new ways of designing with and for communities.
We spoke with Alex Towler and Sammy-Jo Hagan, Co-founder and Architect at Transition by Design, about their role in incubating Makespace Oxford, and building a co-operative architecture practice that operates at the intersection between architecture, design and social change practice. Sammy-Jo and Alex shared the value of ‘walking the talk’ when it comes to democratising design and development. As a Worker Cooperative, Transition by Design’s members take decisions collectively through a Consent process, which creates a sense of shared ownership and develops the tools and skills needed to democratise how our towns and cities can be developed. During the conversation we touched on TbD’s wide ranging portfolio of work from community led housing, action research and meaningful community engagement to the low carbon retrofit of existing building stock at both a local as well as a national and strategic scale. Sammy-Jo and Alex offered up the ingredients of a people-centred approach to design, using the tool of a Community Design Review Panel, which prioritises local needs and the accountability of design teams:
Dec 14, 2023 · 11 min
Making space for genuinely affordable community led housing.
We spoke with Deborah Glass Woodin, former local councillor, activist, occasional human bollard and current Director of Oxfordshire Community Land Trust (OCLT) about the launch of their recent project Croft’s Court, which has built eight new permanently affordable homes in the Vale of White Horse on a formerly vacant brownfield site. The project hopes to bring residents together and democratise the management of the building through the creation of a tenant-managed co-operative. Deborah offered up the ingredients of grit, determination, and simply making something happen, that can’t be underestimated – adopting the principle of show, don’t tell.
Dec 7, 2023 · 19 min
Making space for grassroots resistance and community led place guarding.
We spoke with Rob Sykes from the 1998 LMS Occupation about their recent exhibition at the Community Works and the Old Fire Station, celebrating 25 years since the occupation of the former Oxford rail station. The historic Grade II * Listed building the group occupied was eventually demolished to make way for the Said Business School, funded in part by the former arms deal fixer and businessman, Wafic Said. In his fascinating account of the 4-month occupation that drew widespread public support and a great deal of media attention, Rob sketched out the magic (as well as the risks and challenges) of bringing people together in a spontaneous way. The LMS occupation built a temporary autonomous space where local citizens could envision how public land might be developed in the future, whilst safeguarding and celebrating local heritage.
Dec 4, 2023 · 13 min
Making space for transforming education by growing connections with the more-than-human living world.
We spoke with Sarah Thorne, founding Director of The Children’s Allotment in Cowley, East Oxford. The Children’s Allotment was initiated and conceived by Alice Hemming, who sadly was not able to join us for the conversation as she was recovering from COVID at the time. Alice developed the vision, convened a passionate group of local families and negotiated a 10-year lease from Oxford City Council to reclaim a derelict former nursery on the fringes of the East Ward Allotments. Over the last five years a dedicated group of volunteers have cleared, rebuilt and nurtured a space that is now home to a forest school, radical education project, Roots, a growing space and host to a range of seasonal community events and gatherings. Sarah shared the value of building projects with children involved at every step, acknowledging that it takes more time and can be more complex, but offers a new way of working and learning across generations, where kids can develop a sense of ownership and belonging through the process.
Nov 22, 2023 · 16 min
Flo’s 'The Place in the Park' - the building of a community hub in East Oxford
Co-founder, Annie Davy and founding Community Manager, Makena Lohr share their journey in founding and growing Flo's as a 'phenix centre' from an idea to a team of more than 40 members. Flo's is a former Children's Centre that closed during the cuts which was revived by local residents and transformed into a community cafe, events space, refill shop, nursery and much more. Annie and Makena focus on the essential role that 'people, place and participation' have played in shaping the project.
Nov 22, 2023 · 6 min
Makespace Oxford - transforming empty spaces across Oxfordshire
Co-founder, Andy Edwards and Communications Co-manager, Hannah Pye, explore Makespace's journey over its first five years. The conversation touches on what has been learned from the reopening of its first hub space at Aristotle Lane to adapting and expanding the model across Oxfordshire, bringing 30 buildings back into use. Hannah and Andy reflect on the core role the growing community of residents have played in reanimating the spaces and building cultures of mutual support and solidarity.

Glimpses of a Possible Future

Sustainable Wantage: Making space for a sustainable future in Wantage

Natty Mark Samuels: Making space for African diaspora communities in The Leys

Oxford Wood Recycling: Making space to reduce construction waste while building community

Marta Lomza & Paula Fontaine: Making space for community gardens to support connection and wellbeing

Mandala Theatre Company: Making space for people of colour and white working class people to tell their stories

YWMP: Making space for young women, trans and non-binary people through music

Ultimate Picture Palace: Making space for community connection through film

The Berin Centre: Making space for the whole community in Berinsfield

Glimpses of a Possible Future season 2 intro

Making space for new ways of designing with and for communities.

Making space for genuinely affordable community led housing.

Making space for grassroots resistance and community led place guarding.

Making space for transforming education by growing connections with the more-than-human living world.

Flo’s 'The Place in the Park' - the building of a community hub in East Oxford

Makespace Oxford - transforming empty spaces across Oxfordshire