About Oxford
It’s no secret that Oxford is one of the oldest settlements of the Saxons in England, dating back to the eighth century. Due to the city's longevity, Oxford is home to the second-oldest university in the world, which was established in 1096.
The City of Oxford Charity was established in the year 1700. Originally, this charity was a group effort of a couple of ancient charities that came together as one, bringing an air of community and solidarity. The City of Oxford Charity is located in Stone's Court, one of Oxford's oldest buildings.
Aside from having a charity at the head table of the city, Oxford is home to many charming indoor and outdoor event spaces where you can throw a charity event. Taking a gamble on a beautiful outdoor venue may be well in your cards, as Oxford is a relatively warm city by UK standards.
Charity Event Venue Options in Oxford
Hosting a charity event is a culmination of many small elements working together. Even though Oxford has a smaller population than most cities, there are still plenty of vendors in the city who will offer their services for a charity event. To make sure you consider all of the little details, we have pulled together a few ideas that could make your charity event run smoothly and attract many guests.
- Catering
Hiring a catering service to serve food at your charity event helps to keep your guests staying for a while! An event where your guests can relax and have some food creates an overall pleasant experience. Choose from different forms of catering, such as buffet tables, cold plates, hot plates or snack tables.
- Photographer
Hiring a professional photographer to take photos of your charity event brings awareness to the event as well as saves memories. You can save these pictures, post them in the local paper or upload them on social media. This way, you're promoting your event online, thereby attracting future guests in case you plan to turn your charity event into an annual thing that people can look forward to.
- Printing Services
You may want to have some banners, signs or flyers to promote or market your charity event. Event banners at the venue help to introduce the details of the charity and the organizers so that guests are not left in the dark.
Charity Event Venue Companies in Oxford
- The Oxford Food Company
The Oxford Food Company is one of Oxford’s leading event caterers, forming bespoke menus for each individual event. The Oxford Food Company believes that good service creates repeated business and lets the work speak for itself. Due to their excellent wait staff and bartenders, they have long-lasting clients that appreciate their hard work. As official partners of the Oxford City Football Club and the Oxford Ladies Football Club, the Oxford Food Company knows how to handle large-scale events.
- Keith Barnes Photography
With over 20 years of experience, Keith Barnes has had a long career in photography. Right now, Keith is exclusively doing photography for businesses, organizations, and university and college needs. He takes photos of people, products, events and services. Keith would be an ideal candidate for your charity event as he knows many different photography styles through his experience in the field. He has worked with many well-known families, such as the Royal Family of England.
- John E Wright
John E Wright is located on Lanford Lane and was established in 1900 by the original John E Wright. This is a family-run commercial and promotional printing service that is now in its fourth generation of the family. John E Wright offers digital printing, signage, posters, banners, roller banners and pop-ups.
Pros and Cons of Charity Event Venues in Oxford
Pros
- Charity nature
Oxford has hundreds of years of history that can be accounted to charity, as the City of Oxford Charity is responsible for the city and its well-being. In choosing Oxford as your event location, your charity event will already have a community of people that will turn up as guests.
- Weather
Since Oxford is on the drier side of a wet country, you will have the option to hold your event outdoors, which can increase traction to your event. People love attending outdoor events, especially in the warmer months. Pair that with a good cause, and you’ve got a great day of charity.
- Transportation
Oxford was not built for drivers but for public transportation. The transportation system in the city is elaborate and will get you from A to B efficiently. Thus, your charity event guests will have no problem getting to and from your event.
Cons
- Expensive
Oxford is well-known to be quite expensive. On top of venue rental, the costs for the other services such as catering, marketing and furniture hire may add up, so be prepared to budget properly.
Famous Charity Event Locations in Oxford
- The King's Centre
The King's Centre is Oxford's largest multipurpose centre and is located in the heart of Oxford. There are multiple rooms within the King's Centre that are ideal for exhibitions, meetings, conferences, celebrations and events. The Thames Hall is the largest, able to hold up to 1000 guests.
- Ashmolean Museum
Noted as a cultural landmark, the Ashmolean Museum has been around since 1683 and is a highly regarded building in Oxford. There are a total of eight meeting rooms that can hold 30 to 1000 guests, an ideal place to hold a charity event. Each space provides a unique backdrop that gives the event a flair of elegance. The Ashmolean also boasts of their own event planning team who will listen to you, recommend suggestions and provide professional advice.
- The Oxford Union
The Oxford Union is located in the heart of Oxford and has been around for two long centuries. Many highly regarded people have walked through the Oxford Union, such as the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa and Michael Jackson. There are a total of seven meeting spaces with a capacity of 40 to 450 people, ideal for a small or a large charity event.