The Story Museum in Oxford has joined Action for Happiness’ wellbeing initiative, and launched the city’s first Happy Cafe at its venue in Pembroke Street.
The Story Cafe, which, according to its website offers “a peaceful oasis from the hustle and bustle of the city” joins a network of 100 Happy Cafes across the UK.
The Happy Cafe concept, an initiative by charity Action for Happiness, began in Brighton in 2015, and spread across the country. Cafes have a range of literature, leaflets and postcards on display, and promote wellbeing, happiness and community.
Happy Cafe initiative
As a Happy Cafe, the Story Museum will be promoting the ten keys to happier living as laid out by Action For Happiness: Giving, Relating, Exercising, Appreciating, Trying Out, Direction, Resilience, Emotion, Acceptance and Meaning.
It is a good fit for the Story Museum.
In a report from the Oxford Mail, Sarah Fussell, head of operations at the Story Museum, says, “The Story Cafe has long been a welcoming haven for those looking to enjoy some peace and quiet, and perhaps curl up with a favourite book… The power of stories to bring people together is universal and nowhere is this more evident than at The Story Museum.”
The museum’s regular storytelling sessions, ‘Story Bites’, have been extended, as part of the Happy Cafe offering to include cafe customers of all ages.
Blooloop recently spoke to director Caroline Jones about the Story Museum’s major redevelopment plans. The Happy Cafe fits well with the vision to engage all audiences with ideas and stories.
Depressed Cake Shop
In an increasingly digital world, the quest for wellbeing – and cake – is key, something Santa Fe-based arts collective Meow Wolf has taken on board.
In a characteristically different take on the theme, Meow Wolf hosted a pop-up of The Depressed Cake Shop, a platform where sad, grey cakes and cookies get people discussing mental health issues while raising funds for charity.
https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/17406561.oxfords-first-happy-cafe-opens-at-the-story-museum/
