Train staff get people together on 'Blue Monday'

Train staff encouraged people to come together and talk about their feelings as part of a national campaign on what has become known as Blue Monday.

The third Monday of January has been widely reported as the most depressing day of the year but it was dreamt up for a travel company in 2004 and has no scientific rationale.

Shorter, colder days in the winter can make people feel more tired than normal and find it difficult to concentrate and some even suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Great Western Railway (GWR) staff in Reading instead held Brew Monday, where customers and colleagues could chat and pick up gifts like teabags and keyrings with positive affirmations on them.

Maria Romero, GWR's well-being lead for Reading, said: "It's been fantastic. We've had such an amazing reaction.

"We've had so many passengers come up to us and say this has 'made my day'."

Her colleague Jane Beecher said she too had enjoyed helping out and meeting passengers and colleagues.

"All it takes sometimes is a smile and a hello for someone to just approach you and go 'I need some help'," she said.

"Just a smile could just be the thing that makes that person's day. You could be the only person that they interact with on that day."