Two months until ‘Blue Sunday’ 2021

Let the countdown begin

For those who don’t know, since 2013 my family and I have hosted a Tea Party For M.E during M.E Awareness week. It’s come to be known as ‘Blue Sunday’.

We have about 70 guests join us, whilst also running an online/virtual event alongside it for those unable to join us in person. To date we’ve raised over £20,000.

For the 9th year in a row, I’m hosting my Tea Party For M.E. for people with M.E. and their family and friends. Everyone is welcome!

I strongly believe that we need and deserve a dedicated day of fundraising, but also a day where we can come together to mark and celebrate our resilience and our strength in the face of this cruel and life-altering disease.

On Sunday 16th May, people from all over the world will meet up online to chat and leave comments on each other’s posts. While doing so they’ll be enjoying tea and cake (or whatever their delicate digestive systems can manage) and donating what they can to M.E. charities and causes.

We are so often excluded from events because our symptoms can make it so difficult for us to leave the house, let alone spend an hour or two at an event.

That’s why the Tea Party For M.E. has always had an online/virtual element running alongside any Real Life tea parties.

I have M.E myself so obviously have to be very careful and could not do this without the help and support of my nearest and dearest.

With two months to go I’ll be starting to share more about how to join in and where to donate.

How it works

You can read more about how ‘Blue Sunday’ started at About ‘Blue Sunday’

The premise is simple:

• You wear something blue.
• You bake or buy your favourite cake.
• You dig out your best cups and saucers
• You donate the price you’d pay for tea and cake in a café
• You post a photo of your little tea party set-up to the Facebook Event or under the hashtags on Twitter or Instagram.
• You chat with others online who are doing exactly the same thing from the relative comfort of their own homes.

I hope Sunday 16th May will give you something to look forward to and that you’ll be able to join me online to swap recipes, drool over cake, and have a little chat to break the isolation we so often feel. All while raising money for M.E causes.

Big plans for the 2021 Tea Party For M.E.

For years I have dreamt about making something more of this little Tea Party For M.E. I wondered what the possibilities were and whether it was doable, not least because I have M.E. But this year is set to be the biggest year yet.

I have approached more M.E. charities than ever before, inviting them to join in. I am working on the ‘Blue Sunday’ Donations tab at the top of this page so it’s easier than ever to donate to the M.E. charity of your choice. They are going to let me know how much is donated to them so referencing ‘Blue Sunday’ when you come to donate would be a big help!

This year I’m joined by

• Action for M.E
• The M.E Trust
• M.E. Research UK
• The M.E Association
• Smile for M.E.
• Open Medicine Foundation
• Irish MECFS Association
• Invest in M.E. Research UK
• MECFS Foundation South Africa
• Tymes Trust

and more to come!

I also have Hannah from Sunshine Makes and Bakes by my side to create a fundraising pack to help get you into the ‘Blue Sunday’ spirit. There are only a limited number available so keep your eyes peeled for more details next week via Instagram.

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The ‘Blue Sunday’ 2021 tab at the top of the page has information in it too.