Festive dining and talent at Outside the Box

Sunday, 7 December 2025 14:15

Guests at the recent Dine-In event at Outside the Box in Ilkley enjoyed a very special Christmas dining experience.

Delighting everyone involved, the festive evening was a showcasing and celebration of the talents of the many young people and adults with learning disabilities supported by the charity.

Event guests were treated to a delicious three-course meal, seasonal drinks and mince pie canapés, all prepared and served by the inclusive Outside the Box ‘Dine-In’ Team at the wonderful café premises in Ilkley’s Victorian Arcade. The result was a joyful Christmas dining experience filled with warmth, pride, and exceptional hospitality.

John Shawall, a guest at the event, comments:

“Great welcome, lively atmosphere and good food, succulent turkey in particular. We will come again and well done!”

The feedback from other guests was equally positive including:

“My first Christmas dinner this year and it has not disappointed. Perfectly cooked and well serviced. We will come again – credit to you all and your wonderful charity.”

“A lovely friendly atmosphere with attentive smiley staff. The food was really nice and beautifully presented. An excellent experience.”

The charity’s Dine-in events aim to offer unique local dining experiences that combine delicious food and convivial ambience with opportunities for people with learning disabilities to develop their skills and confidence in a ‘real-life’ community setting.

The ‘Dine-In Team brings staff from Outside the Box together with young people and adults with learning disabilities who attend the charity’s Cooking, Baking, Catering, Customer Service and Working Life sessions at the Arcade.

Amy Robinson, Marketing and Events Manager at the charity said:

“This festive event was a great opportunity to share with our local community the real creativity, skills and talents of our clients and the work of the whole team at Outside the Box. Too often there are misunderstandings and misperceptions about what it means to live with a learning disability or autism.

“We are working hard to break down barriers and challenge stigmas while celebrating ability and achievement. Our Dine-In events are a powerful way to do this. They have been a great success, and we are already planning more for 2026,”

“We really appreciate the support from everyone who came along to enjoy the evening and our hard-working staff team with a special shout out for all our Outside the Box members who helped make it happen and those who truly shone on the night including Katie Dawson-Booth, Mason Parker, Maria Hinds and Thomas Young”.

Katie Dawson-Booth, OTB Member added:

"For me, it went very well! I helped people sit down, served food and drinks, and took drink payments at the end. I liked how happy everyone felt, and it made me feel pleased."

Details of future Dine-In events will be published on the Outside the Box website www.outsidetheboxcafe.com

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