Olamalu 2024. Another inspiring year in Oxfordshire!

2024 has been a busy and exciting year for us. We’re now 14 years into running our web technology business in Oxfordshire and, this year, we were delighted to be invited to join other like-minded organisations to champion Oxfordshire as part of the Oxfordshire Story work led by Oxfordshire County Council. This fantastic project is set up to share the story of this incredible county, its physical beauty and its rich heritage, and put a spotlight on the ideas, innovation, creativity and technology that takes place here.

Taking inspiration from the pillars of the Oxfordshire Story, we thought this was the perfect time and opportunity to share the key pillars of our own story and how we fit into Oxfordshire’s story of changing the world for the better, every day.

Oxfordshire is very much our home, but we didn’t start off here. We started our professional lives working for a large multi-national organisation and lived and worked in America, Europe and Asia, gaining valuable experience, but always knew that at some point we wanted to build something of our own. We knew that we wanted to create our own web technology company, one that would help businesses to thrive, but also a company with strong social and ethical values that would reach out and support the community around us.

We chose Oxfordshire as our location, valuing the vibrancy of the business, scientific and academic community and the beauty and peace of our natural environment. Being close to Oxford has brought us into contact with incredible people working on exciting projects, at the cutting edge of science and research, in the social enterprise and charity sectors addressing pressing issues or setting out on the adventure of starting up their own business. Being based in Witney has given a home in a wonderfully warm and welcoming market town.

One of the key things we are proud of is the opportunities we create for young people. Living in a rural county can feel challenging for young people. Finding apprenticeships in the tech industry can often mean that they have to travel or move to a city to fulfil their career ambitions, which is a loss to the county in building talent in the area. We wanted to nurture young people, building on their enthusiasm for technology and setting them up for a successful career right here in Oxfordshire. And our efforts have been noticed. This year, we were the regional winner for the South-East in the SME category of the National Apprenticeship awards and highly commended in the national finals!

As a small business, it’s important to us to work with partners to help elevate the good we can do for the county. We’re proud to sponsor Homeless Oxfordshire and support their work to open doors for those whose lives have been shaped by trauma and disadvantage. We're currently working on a new sponsorship deal with MyVision centred on digital inclusion. MyVision are a fantastic charity who support blind and visually impaired people in Oxfordshire.

Oxfordshire is steeped in history, and we are glad to have supported Cogges since the foundation of the Cogges Heritage Trust in 2011. The Cogges story spans one thousand years, and the site is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. Today, Cogges is a working farm and museum and hosts weddings, music and various art and cultural events. It’s also the setting for many films and is ‘Yew Tree Farm’ in Downton Abbey. We’re proud to be the long-term technology partner for Cogges, developing and supporting their digital platform to enable them to continue to play an important role in attracting tourists to the area, as well as being a vibrant hub for local people in Oxfordshire.

Oxford Preservation Trust is a small charity based in Oxford. They conserve buildings and monuments to keep the stories of Oxford alive, look after 1,000 acres of green space, champion thoughtful planning to keep Oxford’s unique identity and organise the annual Oxford Open Doors Weekend. We are OPT’s long-term tech partner and are excited about the role we play in enabling people to find out more about their work, visit the historical buildings and green spaces they manage, as well as help them to drive up membership.

We are very connected to the environment, particularly since moving to Oxfordshire. We realise how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful place. We run our office as sustainably as we can and are building a whole business climate action plan, supported by a West Oxfordshire District Council programme. We are working hard to contribute to a greener web by offering low carbon website options to our clients.

We are also dedicated in supporting others who are doing positive things for the area, which is why we support the Wychwood Project. This charity restores, conserves and maintains the Wychwood area, a rich mosaic of meadows, forests and streams in West Oxfordshire. Looking after this diverse area helps to restore precious eco-systems, provides habitats for wildlife and enables local people to enjoy and benefit from being in nature.

Innovation is at the heart of the tech industry and is something we wholeheartedly embrace. We’re excited when clients bring us new challenges. This year we’ve tackled virtual learning platforms, bespoke booking systems and even a custom-built invoicing system. We’re proud to work with colleges, research groups and departments at both the University of Oxford and of Cambridge, helping them in their mission to deliver first-class education and research. Innovation isn’t just something we do for others, it runs through the veins of Olamalu, and we are constantly innovating within our own business, expanding our offering, improving our processes and striving to be our very best.

To quote directly from the Oxfordshire Story, Oxfordshire “has been a place of curiosity and discovery for hundreds of years”. We hope that this will continue for many more, and that, in our own small way, we can continue to contribute.

We hope that you too have had a year of curiosity and discovery. We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy new year.

If you’d like to know more about the Oxfordshire Story, click here