Blue Monday 19 JAN 2009

Turn you workplace into a Brazilian style carnival on the most depressing day of the year – ‘Blue Monday on January 19th - where everyday office items such as staplers, paperclips, and waste bins, can be used to transform even the most downbeat of workplace can be into a fun samba atmosphere. The campaign to encourage the British public to overcome the winter blues is aiming to raise people’s spirits and vital funds for the Mental Health Foundation. According to one of the world’s top Brazilian percussionists, Claudio kron do Brazil, everyone has a natural rhythm and by using ordinary items, such as staplers to create a cha-cha-cha rhythm, paperclips to produce a shaking sound, and waste bins for bongos, even the most un-musical and miserable of workgroups can be transformed into a fun carnival atmosphere. By creating a common rhythm Claudio believes the resulting upbeat sounds works as a drum therapy to help bring people together and take their minds off depressing thoughts The campaign website, www.beatbluemonday.org.uk features advice to help people look after themselves, particularly during the economic downturn, which could make this the worst Blue Monday ever. Blue Monday was first defined by Cliff Arnall, formerly of Cardiff University, marking the symbolic time in January when people suffer from a series of combined depressive effects. (See below for the mathematical formula). Commenting on his efforts to encourage everyone to create their own workplace carnival Claudio said: “I believe that if your heart beats you can play the drums. The Carnival has proved time and time again to be the greatest event for making people happy – by using both drumming and carnival we can help everyone triumph on Blue Monday.” Claudio kron do Brazil is a percussionist, songwriter, dancer and poet from Bahia in Brazil who came to the UK in 1996. Known as the ‘unofficial ambassador for Brazil’ he now performs and runs percussion workshops all over the world and works with businesses, community groups and schools to spread his philosophy of the power of percussion to create harmony, happiness and health. Claudio’s flowing dreadlocks, engaging style and creative exuberance in getting the least musically inclined involved into the world of drumming have become his trademarks. In the last year he has taken his Brazilian drumming to Ghana, Bulgaria, and [insert locations] Further details about how to overcome ‘Blue Monday’ and how you can do your bit to help charity can be found at the website: www.beatbluemonday.org.uk. The public is also being urged to submit their own creative ideas for beating the January blues to the site. For more conventional help however, the Mental Health Foundation is also making available a new booklet, ‘How to look after your mental health’ suggesting 10 ways to take care of yourself on days like Blue Monday. --Help prevent mental illness turning into a tragedy-- For some, the January blues will be serious, as increasing numbers face unemployment, mounting debt and housing insecurity as a result of the economic crisis. The Mental Health Foundation has launched an appeal to raise money to reach out to individuals and families who need support during this difficult time. For those in mental distress who are struggling to cope, the Foundation’s information packs are a lifeline – they help people to understand what their friends and loved ones are going through and suggest where to go for help. Every year around 6,000 people commit suicide in the UK. By donating just £10 you can help prevent a tragedy. To find out more visit www.mentalhealth.org.uk/bluemonday Notes to editors For further details please contact Lindsey Hansen or Andy Green at BLUE Communications (formerly GREEN Communications) on 0845 450 3210 or 07815 884 525 (out-of-hours). Alternatively, email lindsey@greencomms.com or andy@greencomms.com PHOTOCALL • Blue Monday was devised using the following mathematical equation: • [W + (D-d)] x TQ • M x NA The model was broken down using 6 immediately identifiable factors; weather (W), debt (d), time since Christmas (T), time since failing our new year’s resolutions (Q), low motivational levels (M) and the feeling of a need to take action (Na). The equation calculates that Monday 19th January 2009 is officially the worst day of the year, 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 – whilst the January pay-cheque is still one week away. • Cliff Arnall, formerly of Cardiff University, has worked in the NHS helping people with depression and addictive behaviour. He also runs courses and gives talks for organisations on stress and anger management, happiness, understanding depression and the psychology of success.