We’re joining forces with mental health charity Samaritans to encourage everyone to have a cuppa and a catch-up on Monday 15 January as part of Brew Monday.
Did you know there’s no such thing as the saddest day of the year? The third Monday of January – also known as Blue Monday – is sometimes reported as the saddest day. But this is a myth that we’re keen to dispel because it may discourage people from seeking life-changing help.
Struggles with winter weather, the post-Christmas slump and the cost-of-living pressures are just some of the stresses people may be feeling at any point – not just Mondays. In fact, Samaritans’ listening volunteers are busy every day of the year. They respond to a call for help every 10 seconds.
This is why we’re hosting Brew Monday events at several of our offices, depots and stations. We want to encourage people to take a break and connect with each other. There’ll be a spread of biscuits and hot drinks available all day and night at some of our depots and offices for staff.
Meanwhile, some of our colleagues will be joining Samaritan volunteers at Britain’s biggest and busiest railway stations to chat to passengers about the power of connecting over a cuppa. At Edinburgh Waverly, London Waterloo and Glasgow Central stations, we’ll hand out teabags, biscuits and information throughout the day to encourage people to reach out for support.
Olivia Cayley, head of Samaritans Rail Programme, said: “At Samaritans we know there is no such thing as Blue Monday and people can feel low at any point of the week or year.
“We want everyone to know that you are never alone and even small moments of human connection like this can play a big role in helping people who are currently struggling.”
Louise McNally, suicide prevention lead at Network Rail, agreed: “When life throws various challenges at us there is always time for a cuppa and a catch up.”
The Brew Monday campaign is part of the rail industry’s suicide prevention programme. We’ve partnered with Samaritans since 2010 to reduce suicides on the railway and support those affected by them. The charity has helped train some of our staff in the Samaritans’ suicide prevention and trauma awareness courses. Anyone can contact Samaritans for free at any time from any phone on 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org, or visit www.samaritans.org
