Three free sustainability workshops are still to come at Castle Quay this September after more than 120 people attended the launch of the Banbury shopping centre’s new Let’s Go Green campaign.
Families and other visitors will be able to learn how to grow food at home, create autumn decorations from reused materials and seek help repairing clothes and household belongings.
The month-long programme brings together Castle Quay with Bridge Street Community Garden, reuse charity Orinoco and local community workshop Banbury Shed.
At a glance
| Campaign | Let’s Go Green |
| Remaining dates | Wednesday 16, Tuesday 22 and Saturday 26 September 2026 |
| Activities | Seed planting, sustainable autumn crafts and a repair café |
| Cost | Free |
| Who can attend? | The programme is advertised as family-friendly and suitable for all ages |
| Venue | Castle Quay, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX16 5UN |
| Booking | No advance-booking process is currently listed; check the event page before travelling |
| Event information | Visit the Castle Quay Let’s Go Green page |
More than 120 attend first recycling workshop
Let’s Go Green began on Saturday 12 September with an eco-friendly bird-feeder workshop led by Orinoco.
Castle Quay says more than 120 people took part, using recycled materials to create feeders for garden birds while learning how everyday items can be reused instead of thrown away.
The centre is now preparing for three further sessions covering home growing, creative upcycling and practical repairs.
All are free, although the official event page does not state whether numbers will be restricted at busy times.
Full Let’s Go Green programme
| Date | Activity | Time | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 12 September | Eco-Friendly Bird Feeders with Orinoco | 11am–3pm | Completed |
| Wednesday 16 September | Seed Planting with Bridge Street Community Garden | 11am–2.30pm | Upcoming |
| Tuesday 22 September | Autumnal Crafts with Orinoco | 11am–3pm | Upcoming |
| Saturday 26 September | Banbury Shed Repair Café: Fix & Upcycle | 11am–3pm | Upcoming |
Learn how to grow food on a windowsill
The next event takes place on Wednesday 16 September, when volunteers from Bridge Street Community Garden will lead a beginner-friendly seed-planting workshop.
The session will explain how seeds can be propagated and grown at home, whether a participant has access to a garden or only a sunny windowsill.
Bridge Street Community Garden was established in 2015 on a previously unused site close to Banbury railway station and the bus station.
It has since developed into a volunteer-run community hub, forest garden and wildlife space, with raised planters containing herbs, fruit, vegetables and plants intended to support pollinators.
Much of its growing takes place in planters made from repurposed wood and recycled plastic because the garden occupies the compacted ground of a former mechanic’s yard.
The group runs activities for adults and children and works with schools, charities and other community organisations across Banbury.
The Castle Quay workshop is intended to give people a practical starting point for growing some of their own food without requiring a large outdoor space.
Seed Planting Workshop
| Date | Wednesday 16 September 2026 |
| Time | 11am to 2.30pm |
| Led by | Bridge Street Community Garden |
| Suitable for | Beginners, families and people with gardens, balconies or windowsills |
| Cost | Free |
Turn reused materials into autumn decorations
Orinoco will return to Castle Quay on Tuesday 22 September for a seasonal craft workshop.
Visitors will be able to use upcycling techniques to create autumn-themed decorations and take their finished work home.
Orinoco is a registered charity and local scrapstore whose stated aim is to encourage creativity and play while rescuing usable materials from disposal.
The organisation says it has spent more than 25 years collecting surplus and discarded resources and making them available for art, craft, educational and community projects.
Its Banbury store is at 57–58 High Street and sells reclaimed craft materials alongside new art supplies, refurbished tools and other creative resources.
The autumn workshop builds on the bird-feeder session held at the beginning of the campaign and is intended to show how apparently unwanted materials can become useful or decorative items.
Autumnal Crafts with Orinoco
| Date | Tuesday 22 September 2026 |
| Time | 11am to 3pm |
| Activity | Sustainable autumn crafts using upcycled materials |
| Led by | Orinoco |
| Cost | Free |
Bring a broken item to the Repair Café
The programme concludes on Saturday 26 September with a Fix & Upcycle Repair Café hosted by Banbury Shed.
Visitors are invited to bring along broken or damaged pre-loved belongings, including clothes and household items, and receive help attempting to repair or revive them.
Banbury Shed is a community workshop where members meet to make and repair items, develop practical skills and socialise. Its activities include woodworking, upcycling, repairs and metalwork.
The Castle Quay session is intended to extend the life of items that might otherwise be discarded.
The official event information does not publish a detailed list of items that can and cannot be accepted. Anyone hoping to bring a bulky appliance, electrical item, specialist product or object requiring replacement parts should contact the centre or Banbury Shed before carrying it into Castle Quay.
A successful repair cannot be guaranteed. What can be attempted will depend on the condition of the item, the skills available on the day and whether suitable parts or materials are required.
Before bringing an item to the Repair Café
Check that the item is clean, safe to handle and small enough to carry through the shopping centre.
Bring any loose components, instruction manuals, replacement buttons or other relevant parts already in your possession.
The event page mentions clothes and household goods but does not publish a complete acceptance list. Contact the organisers before travelling with electrical, hazardous, unusually large or specialist equipment.
Attendance is free, but no information has been published about the cost of any replacement components that might be needed.
Why repair and reuse matter locally
Repair cafés and scrapstores provide practical alternatives to replacing an item as soon as it breaks or is no longer needed in its original form.
Repairing clothing, furniture and household goods can reduce waste and delay the need to buy a replacement. Creative reuse can also make craft activities more affordable by turning surplus materials into a resource.
The local partners involved in Let’s Go Green already work across Banbury on food growing, material reuse, practical skills and community participation.
Castle Quay also contains Banbury’s zero-waste shop Nothing But Footprints, which sells packaging-free food and household products, giving visitors another opportunity to explore lower-waste shopping while at the centre.
How to get to Castle Quay
Planning your visit
| Address | Castle Quay, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX16 5UN |
| Exact workshop location | Not stated on the event page; follow centre signage or ask Customer Services |
| Centre opening hours on event days | 8.30am to 6pm |
| By bus | Banbury bus station is at the eastern end of Castle Quay |
| By train | Banbury railway station is approximately ten minutes away on foot |
| By bicycle | Cycle racks are provided beside the Oxford Canal near Premier Inn and on Bridge Street |
| By car | Use postcode OX16 5UN and follow signs for the South or North 1 car park |
| Customer Services | 01295 256296 |
| customerservice@castlequayshopping.co.uk | |
| Event page | Let’s Go Green at Castle Quay |
The South car park, reached from Cherwell Drive, is the closest option for the main Castle Quay shopping centre and Lock29.
North 1 car park, reached from Spiceball Park Road, is closest to The Waterfront, The Light and the canal-side restaurants.
Both public car parks are open 24 hours. Current weekday and Saturday charges begin at £1.60 for up to one hour, rising according to the length of stay. Parking is free between 6pm and 7am.
Visitors should read the signs and check the live parking page because charges can change.
Accessibility and family facilities
Castle Quay has accessible parking on the ground floor of the South car park and in North 1 beneath The Light.
Public toilets, an accessible toilet, a Changing Places facility and baby-changing facilities are located behind the Customer Services desk near the Lock29 tunnel from the South car park.
The Changing Places room includes a height-adjustable changing bench and hoist.
The centre also supports the Shire Mobility scheme for visitors who need mobility equipment.
Dogs are permitted within Castle Quay when kept on leads, with a maximum of two per customer. Individual businesses or workshop areas may apply their own restrictions.
Anyone with a specific access requirement relating to one of the activities should contact Castle Quay in advance, as the event page does not describe the layout or seating arrangements for each workshop.
Frequently asked questions
What is Let’s Go Green?
It is Castle Quay’s September programme of free sustainability activities, covering material reuse, home growing, crafts and repair.
Which events are still to come?
The remaining workshops are seed planting on 16 September, autumnal crafts on 22 September and the Banbury Shed Repair Café on 26 September.
Are the workshops free?
Yes. Castle Quay advertises all four Let’s Go Green events as free.
Do visitors need to book?
The official event page does not currently list an advance-booking process. Visitors should check the page before travelling in case arrangements change.
Where inside Castle Quay are the workshops?
An exact unit or central location is not stated online. Follow signs within the centre or ask at Customer Services.
Are the activities suitable for children?
The programme is advertised as family-friendly and suitable for all ages. Children should remain with a responsible adult.
Do visitors need a garden for the seed workshop?
No. The session will cover growing food in a garden or on a windowsill.
Can visitors take their autumn craft home?
Yes. Castle Quay says participants will be able to take their handmade seasonal decoration home.
What can be taken to the Repair Café?
The event page mentions clothes, household goods and other pre-loved items. It does not publish a complete list, so check before bringing an electrical, bulky or specialist object.
Is every item guaranteed to be repaired?
No. A repair will depend on the item’s condition, the volunteer skills available and any replacement components required.
Where can visitors find the latest information?
Dates, times and updates are available through the Castle Quay Let’s Go Green page.
