This year, we made a conscious decision to do things a little differently for our ‘Beat the Winter Blues’ Big Lunch for the Community.

Since 2021, we’ve loved taking part in Eden Project’s Big Lunch initiative by hosting a meal that everyone is invited to. In previous years we have hosted our Big Lunches at Exeter Hall. However, as the cost to rent the space continues to rise that option has become less accessible. This year we brought our annual ‘Beat the Winter Blues’ Big Lunch home instead, hosting it at our headquarters, WISH.

This felt like a natural next step. We have exciting plans to introduce a daily café soon, so hosting this Big Lunch for the Community gave us a chance to gently introduce people to the space and begin welcoming them in on a more regular basis.

The week of the Big Lunch began with Blue Monday: the third Monday in January which some regard as the most blue day of the year. As some feel the aftermath of the end of Christmas and unmet expectations with the new year combined with rising costs and little sunlight, it can be a lonely and discouraging time.

To add some brightness to the community, we decided to serve the Big Lunch for the Community during the entire week of Blue Monday. It took place the 19-23 of January 2026, giving people multiple opportunities to drop in and take part.

How it went

Without the usual rush and noise, people had time to sit, eat, and talk. Conversations lasted longer, and the space felt more relaxed and welcoming.

Across the week, we welcomed 32 people, supported by an incredible team of 18 volunteers. We noticed a steady increase in footfall on Thursday and Friday, which are our usual cafe days. The beginning of the week wasn’t as busy, which suggests that our audiences are slower to react to our marketing with new days and times, even though we started advertising a lot earlier than last year.

Food remained at the heart of the week. Alongside a classic chicken roast, we offered a chickpea curry and green and red curries – comforting, warming meals designed to be inclusive and nourishing. 

As always, all the food used by our Climatarian Kitchen was seasonal surplus. Each menu item featured its Carbon Cost associated to help our visitors learn about the impact of their food.

We were grateful to partner with ODS, which provided an additional bin to help manage waste during the week.

On Friday, we were joined by the Samaritans, who offered thoughtful and compassionate support to attendees. Their presence added real value to the day.

We were also pleased to share the story of the Big Blue Lunch more widely, with features on That’s TV and BBC Oxford, helping spread awareness of the importance of connection during the winter months.

The numbers

Over the week:

  • 4 people pre-booked online
  • 28 people walked in
  • We generated a total income of £297

Charging £10 per meal allowed us to practice something new: serving food every day throughout the week. This will be essential as we move towards daily café operations.

The numbers were modest, but still reflected a steady flow that helped us test our new systems and build confidence. 

Future Plans

Looking ahead, we believe the Big Blue Lunch doesn’t need to be bigger to be better. 

Instead, next year we would like to:

  • Get the café operating as normal
  • Continue this year’s simple decorations to mark the occasion
  • Introduce a themed twist to the menu (for example, blue-inspired dishes or something similar)
  • Build attendance gradually as our daily cafe becomes more established and familiar to the community

While this year’s Big Blue Lunch wasn’t as loud or busy as previous years, it still did what it was meant to do: bring people together, create space for conversation, and offer comfort through food.

Sometimes, success looks quieter, and that’s okay.