Great Western Railway joins forces with the Samaritans for Brew Monday

Great Western Railway (GWR) and Network Rail are teaming up with Samaritans for the annual Brew Monday campaign, encouraging customers and colleagues to take a moment for a cuppa and connect with others.

As part of the Brew Monday initiative, GWR staff will join Samaritans volunteers at various stations, including Barnstaple, distributing teabags and engaging passengers in conversations about the power of connection over a cuppa.

Samaritans challenges the notion that the third Monday of January is particularly challenging, aiming to dispel the myth that may discourage people from seeking life-changing help. The suicide prevention charity’s volunteers respond to a call for help every 10 seconds, expressing the need for continuous support throughout the year.

Stations across the UK participating in the campaign include Bath Spa, Cheltenham Spa, Chippenham, Didcot Parkway, Exeter St Davids, Gloucester, Kemble, London Paddington, Newton Abbott, Oxford, Penzance, Plymouth, Reading, and Truro.

Ruth Busby, People and Transformation Director (Regional) for GWR and Network Rail Wales and Western, expressed pride in supporting the Brew Monday campaign and said: “We’re really proud to be supporting Samaritans’ Brew Monday campaign again this year and spreading this important message to our passengers and staff.”

Head of Samaritans Rail Programme, Olivia Cayley, emphasised the importance of human connection and discouraged the concept of Blue Monday. She added: “Perpetuating ‘Blue Monday’ may put off reaching for life-changing help if they think everyone else is also feeling down. It could also lead people to think they ought to be feeling sad, or believe other people are in worse situations.”

The Brew Monday initiative aligns with the rail industry’s suicide prevention program and partnership with Network Rail. Samaritans has collaborated with the rail industry and British Transport Police for over a decade to reduce suicides on the railway and has trained more than 28,000 rail and BTP staff to look out for passengers and initiate conversations if they sense someone might be vulnerable.

Olivia Cayley concluded: “Our volunteers are available around the clock to listen to anyone who needs support this Brew Monday and every other day of the year, 24/7.”

If you or someone you know needs support, you can contact Samaritans for free at any time from any phone on 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or visit www.samaritans.org.