Open House, a lifeline five days a week in Aberdeen
Offering a Warm Space with cold and warm food, Open House is a unique initiative in Great Britain, offering warmth and food five days a week.
22 January 2025
22 January 2025
After suffering several losses in her family, Jenny did not feel like getting out of the house. “I was scared to go out, to eat out. My doctor encouraged me to come to Open House. It’s been a few years and it’s a great place to come to,” says Jenny.
Started in 2020, Open House in the Scottish Methodist District is a warm space before the Warm Spaces initiative, which was born from the realisation that some people felt lonely. “So it started one day a week with tea and coffee,” explains Jamie, chaplain at Aberdeen Methodist Church, who organised a Blue Christmas in December.
The team received some funding to provide tea and coffee for the local community from Monday to Friday. Until Peter appeared and started cooking proper meals five days a week.
“I enjoy cooking the food and keeping everybody fed. And it keeps me busy.”
says PeterEvery week, he cooks for an average of 150 people who either eat in or take away some food.
Most of the food is donated by other churches, groups, and supermarkets. Every day, Peter adapts, thrives, and creates wonderful menus based on what he gets. They also receive generous donations from the catering students of the North East of Scotland College.
The initiative has been successful from the start, illustrating a deep need in the city. However, a surge in visitors has been seen since 2024, mainly due to the cost-of-living crisis. Aberdeen Methodist Church’s biggest cost is heating and lighting. “It is a constant fight to look for funding,” explains Jamie.
Open House is complemented by Open Table, a lunch cooked every Sunday by a team of 6 or 7 people for about 30 people with soup, a main and pudding. “It started in 2017 with two people taking a trolley of hot food out onto the streets of Aberdeen. It was not too successful as they discovered that somebody else was already doing something similar,” adds Jamie.
They then decided to provide meals indoors every Sunday. Open Table was born. Every week, volunteers cook a three-course meal on a rolling rota.
“We depend on people's generosity and we have a great team of volunteers, which is wonderful.”
Says JamieRelying heavily on volunteers, Open House has a wonderful team at hand. Marjorie, who has been volunteering for the past two years, sees it as an occasion to meet and engage with people as well as help the community.
She says, “There’s a necessity for volunteers and I enjoy mixing up with people from different backgrounds. I normally come once a week but today I cover for another volunteer. Peter does a lot and I like helping him, notably with the dishes.”
On Sundays, Peter does not cook but helps with the service, showing how dedication and an open heart can make a huge difference in the local community.