Smiles on Blue Monday

The second Monday in January is Blue Monday! It’s the gloomiest day of the year – but not at Luton Irish Forum. Many seniors, especially older Irish men experience isolation and loneliness during the winter and the Blue Monday meal was a way to come together as a community, over traditional Irish food. 

For the second year running, LIF, funded by the Irish Episcopal Council for Immigrants, have provided bacon and cabbage meals, guaranteed to put a smile on your face and light up your tastebuds. 64 local people sat down to a meal cooked by LIF staff and volunteers. All the produce was locally sourced from Gerry Taylor Irish Butcher and expert soda bread maker, Pauline O’Sullivan.  50 meals were cooked by Jeanette and her Team at the Globe Pub, and delivered to housebound and other seniors across the town by LIF volunteers, along with care package from Small Acts of Kindness.

Back at LIF there was music from The Quare Fellahs, some impromptu singing and  dancing to round off this uplifting event. Bav Shah, High Sheriff of Bedfordshire chatted to members and tucked into his meal. It was clean plates all round and there were second helpings too.

Events Organiser, Nuala Ely said, ”we are grateful to the Irish Episcopal Council for Immigrants for helping us the spread some much needed cheer with a simple but well loved meal, and to our volunteers for the huge effort that’s gone into making this a success – from peeling the spuds to delivering meals. This is what it means to be Irish in Luton. “