Gala dinner to mark Platinum Jubilee of award-winning Banbury RAFA Branch
08/07/2025
The Branch’s fortunes have been turned around in the last five years
The Banbury Branch of the Royal Air Forces Association celebrated its Platinum Jubilee on Saturday with a Gala Dinner at the RAFA Club on Broad Street.
The Royal Air Forces Association President, Air Marshal Sir Baz North, and Royal British Legion National Chair, Lynda Atkins, were amongst the dignitaries present to mark the occasion, with Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Sir Tony Baldy and Banbury Town Mayor, Councillor Kieron Mallon also in attendance.
The celebration was particularly pertinent as the Branch faced closure due to a dwindling membership just five years ago. Since then work to turn around its fortunes have been successfully completed, as evidenced through the 4 awards the Branch has received in the last 5 years.
The most recent of these was the Presidents Cup, which recognises the Banbury Branch as the Associations number 1 Branch across its global network for outstanding achievements.
The Banbury Branch’s club has been based at Newland House, a former doctor’s surgery in Broad Street, since 1971. Before that it was located in Market Approach – a part of Banbury which was redeveloped for the creation of the Castle Shopping Centre in the 1970s.
Today, Branch membership stands at around 400, up from a low of 64 back during the pandemic.
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
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