A day of fun at Kirkcaldy's S.A.D. party

The S.A.D. Party is the brainchild of local man, Jamie Lindsay, who has experienced problems with the condition in the past.

“I was living in Bristol and was involved in a place called the Cube Cinema,” he said, “A couple of friends and I had a touch of the winter blues so we thought about having a S.A.D. Party.”

It proved such a success that more events followed and now Jamie, with help from artist Lilith Cooper, is holding the first such event in Kirkcaldy.

“It’s helping people and raising awareness, but at the same time it’s a fun event,” Jamie said.

S.A.D. is normally prevalent during the winter months though some people also suffer during the summer months.

“People have it to varying degrees,” Jamie said. “Some just feel a little bit down, then there are those who have it bad and struggle to leave the house. But there are things like exercise which are proven to be a help.

“Myself, I find that I have less energy in the winter and am a bit under the weather, but it took me a few years to realise that it might actually be S.A.D.”

The party will take place at the Old Kirk in Kirkcaldy. Entry is a suggested £3 or free to those who bring along a S.A.D. lamp.

Jamie said: “The lamp replicates daylight because one of the main reasons for S.A.D. is the lack of sunlight. A lack of vitamin D can cause a chemical imbalance in the brain.

“We also have a number of wellness events happening on the day. We have yoga, reiki and massage, then we have fun stuff like art, singing and dance workshops, music as well as tea, coffee and cakes.

“It’s not just for S.A.D. sufferers, anyone can come down on the day. It’s going to be a nice afternoon of activity and hopefully if it takes off we can do some more.”

The S.A.D. Party takes place on Sunday, January 20 between 12-4pm.