LNER And CALM Lift Nation With Positive News Ahead Of Mental Health Awareness Day

London North Eastern Railway and suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) unveil a new train named ‘You Belong’ and the ‘News Against Living Miserably’ news stand in Newcastle Central Station.

• Ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10th October, LNER and CALM unveiled the ‘News Against Living Miserably’ news stand to issue uplifting stories to morning commuters.
• News stand will be in Newcastle Central Station for one day, offering people positive headlines and compliments in a bid to bring smiles to the city.
• The news stand arrives as research finds most Brits know within 24 minutes if they will have a good or bad day and it all comes down to finding three positive moments in the morning.
• Celebrating five years of partnership, LNER is fundraising and driving awareness for CALM with a new train named ‘You Belong’ which promotes the suicide prevention charity’s work.

Monday 9th October 2023, Newcastle London North Eastern Railway (LNER) and suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) have launched the ‘News Against Living Miserably’ news stand – the nation’s first positive news stand which will help raise awareness for the charity’s vital work.

The news stand is stocked with newspapers featuring uplifting stories, headlines and compliments to bring the city good vibes. The news stand comes as a new study* of 2,000 adults revealed Brits need just three positive moments before 9.30am to set themselves up for a good day, and most of us know within 24 minutes of waking if we will have a good or bad day.

Perking up morning commuters with a playful host, the positive news stand offers the perfect antidote to the Monday blues as the poll identified our biggest mood boosters include receiving a compliment (31 per cent), having a cuppa just the way you like it (30 per cent), and a morning giggle to set people up for a brighter day (31 per cent).

With research showing three-quarters of Brits seek positive experiences in the morning to overcome things that would usually get them down, the ‘News Against Living Miserably’ news stand featured a compliments mirror, meaning well-wishing travellers could stop, reflect and leave a comment to brighten someone else’s day.

Offering passengers inspiring reading material to browse during their journeys, the paper celebrates the launch of LNER’s new liveried train ‘You Belong’ and features stories such as LNER colleagues clocking up the miles to raise essential charity funds, crew helping a family make a special delivery of a giant teddy bear to delight and surprise a child and an interview with CALM’s celebrity ambassador, Shirley Ballas.

Other morning mood busters included sitting down for a proper breakfast with the family, reading an absorbing celebrity interview, someone giving up their seat on the train, and having an evening catch up with a friend planned for later.

Three quarters said these little positive thoughts and events help diffuse the bits of the day that can also get them down, such as worries about family members (47 per cent) financial concerns (47 per cent), not feeling they fit in and belong to their community (27 per cent), and what they see or hear about world events (22 per cent). The study also found Brits typically wake up in a negative mood and feel grumpy an average of twice a week - with only a third believing themselves to be a ‘morning person’.

Nearly half (49 per cent) said if they had a bad start to the day, they’d be likely to tackle it head on by taking measures to keep the blues away. These measures include making a simple cup of tea or coffee, listening to an up-beat music track or podcast and reading an uplifting news story to make them smile.

When it comes to feeling positive generally, 44 per cent think getting involved in and feeling a part of their local community would help but 38 per cent sometimes feel as though they’re ‘not a part of anything’ and a further 20 per cent feeling no one ‘gets’ them.

David Horne, Managing Director at LNER, said: "Our research shows it only takes a few moments to set people up for a brighter day. The biggest contributors are acts of kindness, friendship and a sense of community. We want to help the nation connect and belong, so in addition to the newly named Azuma train ‘You Belong’ travelling the length of the country, we’ve launched the ‘News Against Living Miserably’ news stand at Newcastle Central Station to showcase inspiring stories and raise further awareness about the vital work being done by CALM.”

Dipika Saggi at CALM, said: “Sometimes the things life throws at us can make us feel a bit miserable, but as this research shows, sometimes simple, small gestures or actions can help us get through the day and give our mood a boost. So send your mate that meme to make them smile, belt out your favourite song in the shower, or make time for a proper good brew. No one should feel alone in their struggles, so find what works for you - chat to a mate, find professional support, or get help from CALM.”

The ‘News Against Living Miserably’ news stand was created by LNER and suicide prevention charity CALM to mark World Mental Health Day on 10th October and commemorate their fiveyear partnership anniversary, which has raised more than £530,000 for the charity.

LNER’s new Azuma train ‘You Belong’, will travel across the route from the Scottish Highlands to London King’s Cross. The name was chosen as creating a sense of belonging is a key part of protecting everyone across the UK against suicide. Over the course of the partnership more than 100 LNER colleagues have completed training given by CALM.

LNER customers can donate to CALM using their LNER Perks credit or Delay Repay compensation all year round. From October until 31 December this year, all Perks attributed Credit and Delay Repay donations will be matched by LNER. Find out more at https://www.lner.co.uk/about-us/the-calm-zone/

*Research conducted by One Poll, 2,000 adults across the United Kingdom.