Blue Monday is the name given to the third Monday in January, claimed to be the most depressing day of the year, the date when the Christmas glow has faded away; New Year’s resolutions have been broken; cold Winter weather has set in and credit card bills will be landing on doormats across the land, with the January pay-cheque still some days away. It was first defined in 2005 by Dr Cliff Arnall, formerly of Cardiff University, who warned that people could begin to suffer from a series of combined depressive effects around this point in January. These could then impact on their mental wellbeing and, without getting help in the right way at the right time, go on to cause serious problems.
Blue Monday falls on Monday the 21st of January in 2019. Imagine Independence is running a health promotion campaign and will deliver a series of social inclusion events across the Liverpool city region linked to this. Imagine Independence is joining forces with the Liverpool FC Foundation for this campaign to help raise the profile of mental health and wellbeing across the city region area.
The concept behind the campaign will be that each person can do something to change Blue Monday from a negative into a positive day. This can be by getting the support they need to deal with issues that are impacting either on their mental wellbeing or on that of a family member, friend or colleague. The aim of the campaign is to get people across the city region connecting with each other, chatting and asking after the health of the people around them, checking that their family, friends, neighbours and work mates are ok. On the 21st of January, Imagine Independence will open its city centre premises for a day long ‘Beat the blues with a brew!’ event, making the point that just taking a few minutes out of your day to have a cup of tea or coffee with someone could make a huge difference to how they are feeling. Anyone can drop in for support and advice on the issues that are impacting on them, have a drink and a chat and start to develop their own ways to wellbeing. Imagine Independence staff will be on hand to signpost people to organisations across the city, which can offer more specific information, advice and specialist support.
All our partners, supporters, staff and service users are invited to Hope Street to pop in for a brew and meet Imagine colleagues and staff and volunteers from the Liverpool FC Foundation. The doors open at 10.30am until 3pm.