Talk It Over with a Cuppa

We are thrilled that National Tea Day have chosen to partner with Mind for this year’s annual celebration of all things tea.

There has been a lot of great work done – particularly over the past couple of decades – to raise awareness and ultimately remove the stigma associated with mental health. Where Mind are always looking for ways to change the perception of mental health, the same could be said of National Tea Day and their approach to tea. The two will now work together closely to ensure that both messages get across to the general public in the run up to National Tea Day 2019 – which this year lands on April 21st. Not only that, but there is also the annual FesTeaVal to enjoy a week earlier at London’s Tobacco Dock on 13th-14th April. Hope & Glory will of course be there and we thoroughly enjoyed our time at 2018’s event. We’ll be focusing more on what you can look forward to in a later blog.

The whole campaign is all about the importance of meeting up and talking with a friend or a family member. These days we can rely on our phones a little too much – almost to the point where we no longer speak on them. This is why it is important that we all reacquaint ourselves with the art of conversation. This goes for everybody, of course, but in particular it is important to reach out to the elderly and those suffering with mental health issues.  If you know of someone who is having a hard time of it, then don’t shy away and think there is nothing you can do to help. Call them up, invite them around for a cuppa and talk to them; they may be feeling lonely, or feel that they have started to be a burden to their friends – this is your chance to set them straight and to reassure.

It doesn’t just have to happen at home — many of life’s stresses are felt at work and offices up and down the country are supplying their staff with a bit of free time to talk over a cuppa. You spend at least a third of your day with your work colleagues and many close friendships are made, so why not talk about the things that matter to you outside of the office whilst you’re inside? You’ll be surprised how much it will help.

If you’re in the south-east of England, keep an eye out for the London Underground adverts highlighting the promotion as well as nationally on Mind and National Tea Day’s social channels.