Two Sheds had a brew up on Brew Monday

Two sheds met today 20 January, "Maesteg Shedquarters" and Parc Prisons', "Head in the Shed". The occasion was what the Samaritans’ called Brew Monday. Everybody else calls it Blue Monday, as it is the time the Christmas bills come in but it is not yet payday. The third Monday in January is the time when people feel low and depressed. It is the time of year when people are more likely to self harm or even commit suicide.

The Samaritans’ who are in the front line of help if anyone has these dark though came up with the idea of getting together to have a “Brew Up”. Everyone feels better after a good cup of tea or coffee. But more important than that is the getting together, the companionship that goes with the cup of cheer.

We met and introduced ourselves and said what we were either good at or what liked. After a cup of tea or coffee we soon broke up into small groups to talk to others in the group that had similar interests to ourselves. The prison kitchens had provided some very nice cakes and for one of the group whose birthday it was there was even a box of chocolates.

Besides the talking that was going on one of the Head in the Shed members entertained us to an impromptu puppet show that had us in stitches. The next project for the prison Shed is to put on a full puppet show for the children visitors. 

When someone said it was time to go we did not believe that the time had passed so quickly. Everybody had enjoyed themselves so much that they said that it should become a monthly meeting