The Birch Tree Café is a place where young people who have Down’s Syndrome can work, socialize, and be accepted as part of a vibrant village community.

We offer great quality, casual food and drink in spacious, attractive surroundings. The café helps our enthusiastic young staff members develop workplace skills and confidence, thereby improving their employment prospects and independence – so they can realise their own ambitions. Our team members work in the café on a voluntary basis, and we provide a wide range of supervised additional activities for them inside and outside the café.

Everyone is welcome to our café; locals, visitors, walkers, cyclists, workers, laptop drivers, mums, dads, kids and even dogs (outside please). We have loads of room inside, as well as two outside terraces, car parking, bike stands, free wifi, and even a screen and data projector for events. Talk to us about group visits or any general enquiries by emailing our Manager at [email protected], or calling us on 01780 763644.

A Cafe with Purpose

The problem that many of our members face, after completing their formal education, is a lack of opportunities. Only 6% of adults with learning disabilities known to their local authority are in paid work (NHS Digital 2018).

Loneliness in people with learning disabilities is linked to several health risks, including depression, high blood pressure and higher mortality risk.

In 2018, a group of parents and trustees from the local Peterborough Area Down’s Syndrome Group came up with a fantastic idea to launch a café. This group set up “T-21”, a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation, (Registered no 1180389). Its aim was to open a café providing a safe working environment for our members with Down’s Syndrome. It would provide training leading to recognised certificates of employment, while also offering a welcoming café for the local community and visitors.

We were driven by the need to empower our young people to improve their lives.

It took three years to find the amazing site for our café. It is part of the former Easton Garford School in Easton on the Hill, a rural village in Northamptonshire with a population of 1,100.

Funding to convert and equip the building and launch our wonderful café came from many grants and donations, and from many local businesses and tradespeople who have given their services and materials for free or at reduced rates.

We hope that we can become a feature of the local community and a destination for visitors, for the benefit of our members.

Thanks to all our funders and supporters:

Chris Scott Bike ride

The Scott family Trust

Screwfix

Arnold Clark

Augean PLC  (Grantscape)

Virgin Media O2 Together Fund

National Lottery Community Fund 

Emerald House Associates

Cunnington Clark

Ian Forbes

The 6th Marquess of Exeter’s Will Trust

Maude Elkington Charitable Trust

HC Beer Charitable Trust

The Beaverbrook Foundation  

Garfield Weston Foundation  

The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust 

The Finnis Scott Foundation

ESG Robinson Charitable Trust

The Drapers’ Charitable Fund

The Alligator Trust

The Golden Bottle Trust

The Rock Family and their sponsors