On Brew Monday, 15 January, Samaritans is reminding everyone to reach out for a cuppa and a catch-up with the people you care about.

Why 'Brew Monday'?

The third Monday in January is sometimes referred to as ‘the most difficult day of the year’ but this is a myth. 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.

So we say it's time to stop this myth about Monday being 'blue' and instead start a conversation over a brew!  Reach out and connect with family, friends, colleagues and loved ones.

Any day can be a Brew Monday. 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.

How to be a good listener

Once someone starts to share how they’re feeling, it’s important to listen. 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.

For more suggestions about how to be a good listener, take a look at our SHUSH active listening tips and our little tips to help someone open up.

Hosting a Brew Monday event

Have a Brew Monday, any Monday, or a day that’s good for you. You can host your own Brew Monday event, virtually or in person, however you want. You could organise a tea party and raise money for Samaritans, host an online Brew Monday at work, or even do something as simple as picking up the phone and checking in with someone you care about.

And don’t forget, if you use your get-together to raise money for Samaritans, you'll help give people having a tough time somewhere to turn when they need to talk.

We’d love to hear about how you’re fundraising for Samaritans on Brew Monday! Fill out this form to tell us your plans for Brew Monday and get support from our events team.

Planning a virtual Brew Monday event?

Here are a few ways you can connect virtually:

• Group audio/video calling is available on Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp (up to 4 people on a call) and Facebook messenger.
• A phone call or conference call can work just as well for connecting with people, especially for those not comfortable on camera.

Content sourced from Samaritans (samaritans.org).