I never set out to make Blue Sunday an annual, international event. I had just wanted to be included and feel a part of something again; asking my friends and family to join me either online or in-person for a little Tea Party For M.E.
But here we are, about to mark our 12th one, having raised over £100,000 together for ME/CFS charities since 2013.
We would love you to join the ME/CFS community on Sunday 19th May as we come together to have a Tea Party For M.E.
- Dig out your favourite mug, or your best cups and saucers
- Wear something blue (pyjamas count!)
- Have a slice of cake, or two. It can be bought or baked, and if your own dietary requirements limit you from eating cake then you can switch cake for whatever works best for you
- If you can, the price you’d pay for tea and cake to an M.E. charity.
- Post a photo of your tea party set-up to social media. This allows those who are joining in by themselves to feel a part of something bigger. It breaks the isolation that we all feel when we are too unwell to be with people in-person
- Chat online with others doing the exact same thing. Swap recipes. Like photos. Comment on the gorgeous tea sets that others are using
- Follow the hashtags #BlueSunday2024 and #TeaPartyForME2024 or use the dedicated Facebook event to see everyone else’s tea party related posts.
With no right or wrong way to join in on Blue Sunday, I hope you’ll find a way that works for you. A few examples of how others join in each year:
If you have any Blue Sunday queries, it’s best to get them to by before the 16th April. I will be ‘out of office’ in the final few weeks before Blue Sunday to allow myself time to recuperate from preparations and rest up before the event itself.
- having a solo Tea Party For M.E. in whatever way that looks like
- using a blue mug
- wearing something blue
- ensuring there’s a packet of your favourite biscuits in your bedside drawer ready for the day
- joining a video call
- inviting a few friends over to sit and chat with you while you’re in bed
- holding a bake sale
- scrolling through other peoples’ Blue Sunday posts
- having a garden tea party
It’s about feeling a part of what is surely one of the most resilient communities out there.
And raising a tonne of money while we do that.
M.E. myself and I 