The best conversations often happen over coffee.
A chance meeting can spark a new friendship, lead to unexpected ideas, or simply provide a pause in a busy week. Chat Cafe builds on that simple truth, creating time and space for the St Edmund’s community to come together informally and feel at home.
Launched by Dr Rafia Al-Lamki and Dr Zainab Salim, Chat Cafe grew out of a shared vision to nurture the connections that make College life richer. With an understanding that community flourishes when people meet as equals, across roles, cultures, and disciplines.
Chat Cafe is more than just coffee. It’s a welcoming space for conversations that don’t fit neatly into formal meetings or lectures. Staff, students, and Fellows can meet one another, share perspectives, and discover common ground. These unplanned, unhurried interactions are often the ones that create lasting friendships and a genuine sense of belonging.
This Easter Term 2026, Chat Cafe will take place in the MPH CR on the following Thursdays at 4pm:
- 30 April 2026
- 14 May 2026
- 4 June 2026
Everyone is welcome. Come for the coffee, stay for the conversation.
A THRIVE event
Chat Café was created to bring the College community together – a relaxed and welcoming space where staff, students, Fellows and all other College members can enjoy each other’s company, share ideas, and connect beyond the formalities of academic life.
It’s a chance to pause, chat, and engage in conversations that cross cultures, disciplines, and experiences. Whether you’re there for a lively discussion, a friendly catch-up, or just a moment of calm in a busy week, Chat Café offers a sense of belonging and togetherness. At its heart, it’s about celebrating the people who make our College such a vibrant and diverse place to be.