Brew Monday

Today I took part in the Samaritan’s ‘Brew Monday’ campaign which is encouraging people to get together virtually over a cup of tea.

The third Monday in January has been dubbed ‘Blue Monday’ – it is typically seen as a time when people’s mood may have dipped with the end of the festive period and the continuation of dark nights and gloomy weather.

However, this year the Samaritan’s are turning ‘Blue Monday’ on its head, asking people to reach out to friends, family and colleagues for a virtual cup of tea and a chat.

Obviously, this year ‘Brew Monday’ has been very different – instead of meeting in person to catch up, we’ve had to adapt and share a cuppa over video conferencing software.

I organised a Zoom call this morning with my constituents and the Glasgow East team, where we chatted over a cup of tea.

This pandemic and the resulting lockdowns will have undoubtedly impacted many people’s mental health. Without the opportunity to see our friends and loved ones in person, many of us are missing out on the much needed contact and conversation this time of year.

But there is hope and a light at the end of the tunnel. With more and more people being vaccinated every day, we can see an end to this pandemic.

You can share the warmth for Samaritans - to give £5 just text BREW to 70450. You will be charged £5 + one message at your standard network rate. Samaritans will receive 100% of your donation.