South Oxford Community Centre

South Oxford Community Centre has a dedicated YouTube channel for all its videos. Here is the link to the channel please subscribe to get up to date information when new videos are added https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKJZbrPDeM-TAuCA_R-n50g We are called the Pumping Station to reflect our history of the building being a water supply when built-in 1856. Follow the link to find interviews with the artists showing at the New Hinksey Arts Artweeks exhibition, poetry and music that is just a sample of what we would have been able to offer on our late night.

New Hinksey Arts Artweeks exhibition is open to the public on 8th, 9th, 15th and 16th May 12-5 pm and Friday 14th May 12-9 pm. Due to Covid-19, we are having to restrict numbers to a maximum of 12 per room. The entrance is through the courtyard where small sales and a pop-up cafe is in operation. You will be asked to sign in and if you have the app for test and trace use the QR code at the entrance to log into the app. All information gathered will be kept secure in accordance with GDPR regulations and only kept for the minimum of time for Covid-19 contact requirements. For more information on the exhibition see our New Hinksey Arts page.

Thank you for all your support, during this interesting time of 2020/21. The Community Centre and office have reopened in line with step 2 conditions. At this time there will only be limited activities in the Centre. These include children's classes and will have capacity restrictions on them for the time being. Please check with the organiser on how you register for these classes. Contact details can be found on the regular users' page.

The Community cafe has reopened on a Tuesday from 11 am to 2 pm for takeaways only. The cafe can now have outdoor seating and you can sit in the yard to enjoy your homemade soup, cake or just a coffee.

The Community Cafe is supporting the pop-up cafe in South Hinksey on Monday 17th May  Please show your support for this worthwhile cause.

The Community Centre has been approached by a local resident who is looking at starting a Community Cinema club. If you are interested please click on the survey monkey link in their text below.

" We're planning a community cinema upstairs at the South Oxford Community Centre! Sound like something you can get behind? Help move things along by completing a very (very!) short survey: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/FL7C8VZ  Keen to help out? We'd love to hear from you at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  "

The Management Committee and Staff would like to thank all supporters of the Community Centre and hope to see you soon in the New Year

If you are looking at something to do during the lockdown then why not check out the local What's On guide

See the latest information from Oxford University - Press release with new additional information 

updated 21st April 2021

We want to make certain that everyone has a safe and enjoyable visit to the South Oxford Community Centre.

To help ensure the safety and well-being of our visitors, staff and volunteers please read the following information before your visit.                    
In light of Covid-19, we would like to assure our visitors that:

• We will do our utmost to ensure everyone has the space to use the Centre safely.
• The Centre has undergone thorough cleaning in preparation for reopening.
• We will regularly sanitise the Centre throughout the day, with special attention paid to high-contact areas such as handles, bannisters and bathrooms.
• We have strict procedures in place for our staff

In return, we kindly ask visitors to:

• Stay away if you show any symptoms associated with Covid-19 or generally feel unwell
• Wash your hands-on arrival. Washing facilities are available in both disabled toilets in the main building and the Gill Garratt and Brenda Horwood rooms. Before using the stairs or entering the Main hall sanitise your hands.
• Maintain a safe distance between you and others.
• Wear face-covering when you enter the Centre until you leave.
• Follow all Staff instructions and signage in the Centre.

For Community Centre Visitor/guest Q&A follow this link

 The Community centre is located in a beautiful old Victorian pumping station built in 1856 and can be found a mile from the centre of Oxford just off the Abingdon Road in Lake Street.

South Oxford Community Association (set up in 1937) looks after the Community Centre day to day running. We provide rooms for the benefit of local residents to use for leisure, meetings, and learning at affordable prices. The Association is a charity, and we offer affordable rates for groups working for the benefit of the community. The Community Centre is self-financing and we pay all our own staff costs, bills, buy our equipment and maintain the interior of the building. Our Management Committee is a friendly group, and we are always looking for new members. You can find more information on the Management Committee in 'meet the team'. Please contact the office to register your interest in joining the Committee or for more information. The Community Centre hosts various groups during the year and Art events in May and Christmas. Details can be found here or on our Facebook page South Oxford Community Centre. The Centre can also be used for Art exhibitions, contact the office for more details.

We are now again producing our own Newsletters which will be distributed to local residences in the South Oxford area. We will have copies available in the Centre for those who live outside our area of delivery. All of our Newsletters are available here.

The Community Centre has Free Wi-Fi brought by Super Connected Oxford

Please contact Debby in the office on 01865 242666 or  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

 The art in the Community Centre is now under a new title 'New Hinksey Arts' this title will be used for all our exhibitions, promotions and workshops.

The art of George Bissill has finished though his work will be able to be viewed via our YouTube channel 'The Pumping Station'

New Hinksey Arts Workshops had been suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. They are due to resume over the coming months.

Watercolour Pencil Workshop classes starting 8th June 2021 £12.00 for SOCA members £15.00 for non-members

Life Drawing workshop cancelled to 2021 All materials provided. 

Building a sketchbook classes starting 15th June 2021 £12.00 for SOCA members £15.00 for non-members

New Hinksey Arts Artweeks exhibition 2021. We are happy to announce that we are able to open for our regular Artweeks exhibition this year. There will still be a virtual element to the event and some items will be online through Facebook or our YouTube channel 'The Pumping Station' The exhibition will be open to the public on Saturday 8th May 12-5 pm, Sunday 9th May 12-5 pm, Friday 14th May 12-9 pm, Saturday 15th May 12-5 pm and Sunday 16th May 12-5 pm. we will then close for the rest of the Artweeks in other areas and reopen on Saturdays only through June and July where we hope to bring in the workshops! Look out for the extras as they are added to the event both live and virtual. If you would like to volunteer at the exhibition please contact the office.

For more information on our art workshops and events see our Arts page

If you would like to be on the email list for the art events please contact the office by email to give your written consent on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Neighbourhood Community Forums are held during the year. Past Forum notes can be found here.

If you would like to be on the email list for the Forum contact the office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Find out about the regular activities taking place at the Centre.

Details of the rooms for hire 

The 37 men of New and South Hinksey. A group of local enthusiasts are researching the history of the 37 men of New and South Hinksey who lost their lives during the first world war. More information can be found on their website www.wixsy1.wixsite.com/37men-new-hinksey or contacting the office on 01865 242666

Explore the fascinating history of Grandpont, New Hinksey and Cold Harbour

Directions to the centre and a location map.

Please get in touch if you want to make a booking, or have any queries.

Links to other South Oxford organisations. This page also contains a diary of events in South Oxford.

As you will be aware as and from 25th May 2018 there are new rules on data protection. If you would like to have information sent from the Community Centre you need to send in written confirmation to the office by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  All previous agreements are no longer valid and I will not be able to contact you with information on events.

We have several lists that you can sign up for. Art events and classes, Neighbourhood Forum, and local events in general at the Community Centre. SOCA members receive emails during the year to remind them of events and what's on, so why not join the Association and support your local Community Centre and receive information direct to your inbox. We would like to keep you informed so please do contact us.

Our new policies on Privacy and Data protection can be found on the Policies page.