On 8th July 2026, Educafe celebrated its 5th birthday with a special gathering at Newbury Library. With over 200 attendees, the party was a wonderful reflection of the strength, commitment, and spirit of our Educafe community. There was so much positive energy throughout the day, and it was heartening to see everyone working together to create such a welcoming and celebratory atmosphere.
It was great to see months of hard work and planning come to fruition. Volunteers worked hard to organise the venue and display TNL banners throughout the space, as well as keep tea and cake flowing and ensure all our regular weekly events ran smoothly.
We were delighted to welcome Fiona Brice, TNL Community Manager for the South, along with our friends at West Berkshire Council and representatives from Moonrakers, who are piloting the first Educafe community hub outside of West Berkshire.
We had speeches from our Director, Janine Ford, and Newbury Mayor, Councillor Jo Day, while Toot, Tinkle and Twang came all the way from Bristol to provide music throughout the day – including multiple renditions of Happy Birthday as we were sharing the celebrations with our very own operations assistant, Ellen Hunter Smart, and one of our young attendees from Parent Village.
We also marked our apprentice Harrison’s final session with us, which felt like a fitting moment to present him with a certificate recognising his contribution.
Overall, the day was a powerful reminder of the impact Educafe has within the community. From volunteers and partners to funders, local representatives and visitors, there was an overwhelming appreciation for what has been built here. The celebration not only recognised five successful years of connection and collaboration, but also gave us hope for the future.
Thank you to everyone who came along and helped us make it such a memorable day. You can view photos below and read our 5th Birthday Report showing how far we have come here.
