Our previous blog article, ‘Blue Monday: most depressing day of the year or just spin doctor hype?‘ By
our CEO, Neil Mehta, touched on the 3 rd Monday in January which is traditionally renowned for being
the day (or at the very least marking the general period) when, post-Christmas, people feel down in
the dumps. However, it can be way worse than that, with people feeling that their lives are at rock
bottom and that there is no easy way out. In this scenario, it’s not simply a case of medicating with
a magic pill; it’s a complex web of economic, social and health issues which need skilful navigation,
input from multiple different agencies and wide support from others, e.g., community-based
networks.
The Samaritans Brew Monday Campaign
The Samaritans were keen to provide an antidote to Blue Monday, something which would lift
people’s spirits and give them a reason to feel that they were less alone in the world. In line with
Britain’s great love of the ‘English cuppa’ which has entered common folklore as being the ‘answer
to everything’, the Samaritans christened the 3rd Monday in January as ‘Brew Monday’ (a brew being
another word for a cup of tea).
The cuppa provides the perfect reason for people to take some time out, sit down with a cuppa
(maybe some biccies too?) and have a chat. It’s a chance to reconnect and share worries and
concerns with a listening ear. It’s such a simple, yet powerful, act of kindness.
Indeed, the Samaritans are robust in their pushback against Blue Monday, saying “At Samaritans we
know there’s no such thing as ‘Blue Monday’ – we all have our good days and our bad days, and
those aren’t for the calendar to decide.”
The Samaritans also highlight the importance of listening, explaining “This could mean not offering
advice, not trying to identify what they’re going through with your own experiences and not trying
to solve their problems”.
However, they go one step further, suggesting that people may wish to cast their net wider by
hosting a ‘Brew Monday’ event, perhaps inviting a whole community in for a cuppa and a chat. Of
course, the choice of beverages can extend beyond the humble cuppa to make it even more
welcoming…And, there’s always the opportunity to combine it with a spot of fundraising to support
the much-needed work that the Samaritans does.
Further Support For The January Blues
At Givey, we have so many charities fundraising on our platform who also provide a listening ear in
some shape or form, helping people to cope with their daily lives and move forward.
These are just two from the Givey community:
- Druglink Limited, based in Hertfordshire, is a substance misuse charity whose objective is to
change the future for people who are, or could be, affected by substance misuse. They
achieve this through Addiction Treatment, Housing Solutions, Education and Training. - Mind in Enfield, are a local branch of the national charity, Mind, supporting local people with
mental health issues.
As well as making the effort to sit down with someone for a cuppa this Brew Monday, we’d also
encourage you to check out the Givey funding pages, particularly the two mentioned above, and be
inspired to help others be a lifeline for those who need it most.
The Givey Community is also hosting a Brew Monday event. Uniting to support small charities this January 16th, 23rd and 30th at 11am via Zoom. Click HERE to register your spot!
Happy Brew Monday…we’ll raise our cuppas to that!
If you enjoy this blog post, then you may also be interested in:
Blue Monday: most depressing day of the year or just spin doctor hype?
The Impact of Mental Health Illness on Stress Levels