About Us
The Iffley Fields NaturEscape project is a community-led project, developed by local parents, neighbours and community members through Iffley Fields Residents Association, in partnership with Oxford City Council and The Nature Effect CIC. We share a vision for creating inclusive opportunities for nature-rich play, meaningful connection to our wild places, and a stronger, more connected community.
Our Story
The idea for the NaturEscape began in early 2024, when a group of playground users started discussing how the space could better serve our community and support local wildlife. Inspired by natural play spaces elsewhere in Oxford, particularly the Florence Park NaturEscape, Kate’s Place, we approached Oxford City Council with our ideas.
With encouragement from Chris Bell, the Council Parks Officer, we formed a project group and began gathering community input. By autumn 2024, we had developed a concept brief based on community feedback, and engaged landscape designer Laura Burt to help create a coherent design that would bring our vision to life. Community workdays and volunteer sessions with local partners such as GoodGym have helped remove redundant fencing and hedging, opening up previously inaccessible areas, create new planting beds and introducing repurposed log stumps and balancing logs sourced locally. These changes have already made the playground feel safer, greener, more welcoming and more engaging for children and families.
In Autumn 2026 we received an Oxfordshire Community Foundation Thriving in Nature Grant and a Oxfordshire County Council Community Resilience Grant. These grants will support the further development of our nature-rich, climate-resilient playground, as well as a programme of nature connection activities at Aston’s Eyot and The Kidneys. Providing welcoming opportunities for people to improve wellbeing, build confidence outdoors and develop meaningful connections with nature and one another.
If you would like to get involved, please get in touch.
Meet the team
Usha
I grew up in Iffley Fields and have always felt that our neighbourhood has the potential to be so much more for residents, visitors and nature! My professional background is in nature conservation and nature connection facilitation. I am also a Director of the The Nature Effect CIC supporting community projects that enable people of all backgrounds and generations to access and engage with wild spaces. I am super excited to be leading this project through a collaboration between Iffley Fields Residents Association and The Nature Effect.
Tom
Tom is a professional trombonist, composer and arranger whose interests include trail running and anything to do with the outdoors. He has lived in Iffley Fields with his family for almost 10 years, is a member of the IFRA committee and is passionate about anything that makes the local area an even more fantastic place to live.
Brittany
I moved to Oxford in 2022—my third time living in the UK—after relocating from San Francisco. Our family settled in Iffley Fields and quickly fell in love with the area and community, so much so that we bought a house here last year! My two boys are out our back gate and into the Ayot and playground almost daily, and we feel incredibly grateful to have access to such a lovely little corner of the world. We look forward to being good stewards of it.
Our Partners
Iffley Fields Residents Association (IFRA)
IFRA was set up in 1997 and covers an area in East Oxford between the Iffley Road and the River Thames including: Argyle Street, Bedford Street, Chester Street, Daubeny Road, Eyot Place, Fairacres Road, Greyfriars Court, Jackdaw Lane, Parker Street, Stratford Street and Warwick Street. Our community-led organisation welcomes people from diverse backgrounds and cultures and aims to encourage a community spirit. In our area we have amazing community assets that can be enjoyed by a much wider community: access to the river, the nature reserves, the recreation ground and the children's playground. We work with local authorities and other stakeholders to improve these. IFRA is made up of several subgroups who focus on individual initiatives and projects that aim to improve the local area for nature and all users, and to bring together people with shared interests.
The Nature Effect (TNE)
The Nature Effect is a catalyst for the transformation of people, spaces and communities through connection to nature. We are inspired by the ‘ spirit of place’, the beauty of plants, rocks, and wildlife, and human potential now and in the future. We work with educators, entrepreneurs, artists, scientists, gardeners, public and charity sectors. Our ongoing conversation is how working with and for Nature engages and shapes individuals, organisations and communities. We are a nor-for-profit Community Interest Company; ploughing any profits directly back into community projects.