Spirit and optimism providing reasons to be cheerful

This week is destined to go down in history marked by having the Bluest of Blue Mondays, writes Paul Faulkner.

The third Monday in January is regarded by some as the saddest day of the year - the day when the financial pressure of Christmas just passed hangs over us; the credit card bills are in; payday is still at least a week away; and the diet isn 't working.

There have been attempts over the years to cheer us up on Blue Monday. There is a Blue Monday cocktail comprising a mix of pina coloda, vodka, blue curacao, and pineapple juice. Enough to cheer anyone, even without the vista of a sun-kissed beach.

And while doing so you could always listen to Blue Monday, the song released in 1983 by English rock band New Order.

However, I can offer my own antidote to help you through this alleged unhappiest time when we are in the third lockdown because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

I believe there are many reasons to be cheerful, to borrow the lyrics from an earlier rock hit.

My optimism is founded not just on the vaccine roll-out, for which we must congratulate the NHS and, of course, Millennium Point 's conversion to a mass inoculation centre. Many conversations I have had with businesses demonstrate their tremendous resilience, probably conditioned by a history of dogged determination to simply “get on with it ” when the chips are down.

I have detected and underlying optimism and determination from our members, who are showing remarkable resilience despite the challenges the pandemic is brining.

They are adapting to the conditions, like successfully working from home, and see success on the horizon.

Business confidence is still understandably fragile but I now detect a widespread fighting spirit that carried us through other times of crisis, many in the past nine months.

This is particularly marked in the hospitality sector, which has suffered more than most but which is now, thankfully, receiving belated government support.

Despite the backdrop of crisis, the Chamber has continued to celebrate business with a series of awards ceremonies which have taken place virtually from meeting rooms adapted to studios at Chamber of Commerce House.

And another uplifting event takes place next week when on Thursday we celebrate with Chamber members in Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield and Tamworth at their virtual awards ceremony.

And we can also look forward with optimism to the long-team future following a major change in support for young professionals in Greater Birmingham.

The Chamber 's Future Faces team have forged a merger with Business Professional Services (BPS) to create a body of talent that truly represents and celebrates all that is great about the young people in our city.

BPS was established by a now-defunct organisation called Birmingham Forward, into which City 2000 morphed at the turn of the century.

It created Birmingham Future, who pioneered Birmingham Young Professional awards nights at the ICC.

Now the sensible outcome is the merger with the Chamber 's equally successful Future Faces. When you talk to these young people who can appreciate why we should be optimistic about our future as we emerge from the worst possible disaster for business.

And to underline my optimism, we can look forward to Friday, July 14, which has been designated the happiest day of the year. Can 't we..?

Paul Faulkner is chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce