West Midlands Railway encourages thousands to share a cuppa this Brew Monday

West Midlands Railway (WMR) are encouraging thousands of passengers to slow down and share a cuppa for Brew Monday.

The train operator has partnered with Samaritans, the leading charity for suicide prevention, to flip the perception of so-called ‘Blue Monday’ by turning it into a day for conversation and connection.

Pop-up sessions at Wolverhampton station are being held today (19 January), where Samaritans are giving out free cake, teas and coffees, encouraging passengers to find time to talk over a hot drink.

Passengers travelling by rail between Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International, and Dudley Port, Tipton and Coseley are being greeted by volunteers from the charity on board, talking about the importance of checking in with loved ones.

Simon Newell, safety, security and sustainability director at WMR, said: “Blue Monday doesn’t need to be a day focused on the negatives. It can be a reminder of the value of pausing and reconnecting with the people we care about.

“At WMR we see how even small interactions can support mental health. Through our partnership with Samaritans, we’re encouraging our customers and colleagues to slow down, reach out to a loved one, and spend some time catching up over a hot drink. You never know how much that conversation might mean”.

Megan Winnington, regional development lead at Samaritans, said: “This Brew Monday we’re encouraging everyone to put the kettle on and remember how important a bit of human connection is and what a difference it can make to people’s wellbeing. And we’re so grateful to the rail industry for supporting our campaign and helping us to spread this message.

“Our volunteers are busy all year round, answering a call for help every 10 seconds so we know people can find things tough at any time and there’s no such thing as the ‘worst day of the year’. It’s vital that we all take the time to check in on each other every day.

“So, let’s pop on those kettles, break out those bourbons, and turn small talk into big talk. It might just save someone’s life.”

Brew Monday is an annual campaign led by Samaritans on the third Monday in January – the day typically known as “Blue Monday”.