Out with the Blue and in with the Brew!

The third Monday in January has come to be known as “Blue Monday”, a day when many people feel down and really start to feel the negative effects of the long winter days.

The Samaritans recognise that feeling low isn’t just something that happens on Mondays or a random day in January, although Blue Monday is a good opportunity to bring a bit of focus to the issue. This is where their Brew Monday initiative has come from; as they say “out with the blue and in with the brew!”

As every resident of these isles knows, a good cuppa can cure all kinds of ills, and so this year the Lancaster district voluntary and community sector is going big to really spread the word about positive mental health and wellbeing.

On Monday 20th January 2025, Brew Monday events will be held across the district in various community settings. People are encouraged to come together for a cuppa and a catch up and banish those blues!

You will be able to find a Brew Monday event by searching under #BrewMonday across the various social networks, and be sure to keep an eye on Lancaster CVS’s social media pages for local events. Organisations already signed up to take part include The Samaritans; Positive Futures; Bay Veterans’ Association; The Bay – A Blueprint for Recovery; Adullam; Stanleys Community Centre; Green Close CIC; Claver Hill; The Cornerstone; and The King’s Trust, to name just a few!

If you would like to be involved to host a Brew Monday event please contact Jenny Reddell, Community Health Officer: [email protected] to find out more.

And it might be called Brew Monday, but it doesn’t matter if it’s a Monday morning or Saturday night, or if you’re drinking green tea, black coffee or orange juice. If you’re sharing a cuppa and listening, you’re doing it right!

The Samaritans have a website dedicated to the initiative, which includes a link to a variety of resources to help with your own events, just visit www.samaritans.org/support-us/campaign/brew-monday. You can even host a virtual event over Zoom or Skype or another video meeting app.

And if a brew isn’t your thing, remember that you can also find plenty of brilliant things happening in our district to keep you and your family mentally well by searching in the Lancaster District Digital Directory of Health and Wellbeing Services – directory.lancastercvs.org.uk.