IT'S pitch dark, cold and hours before most people need to be at their desks.

But a crowd of workers gathering in a Glasgow city centre office are getting active in order to try to bring some brightness to what has been dubbed the worst day of the year.

Blue Monday, the third Monday in January, was first recognised in 2005 as being a post-Christmas low point where the weather is grim, resolutions are failing and debt levels are high.

At PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), however, staff are taking steps - quite literally - to counter Blue Monday and to raise awareness of the importance of good mental health.

Yesterday morning a team of staff walked from the accounting firm's Bothwell Street office along to the Necropolis, where they watched the skies lighten and the sun come up.

Lindsey Paterson, Risk Assurance Partner, said: "So many people are living with mental health issues and there are mental health issues in my family so this really resonated.

"I wanted to do something to take action about this issue and the walk - with the idea of walking from darkness into light - seemed like the perfect thing to get involved with.

"A lot of our staff work remotely so we're looking for ways to connect people and help those who are not in the office be more engaged.

"That's a real challenge but so important as it can be really easy for someone working remotely to hide any problems they might be having and to miss the support available in an office environment."

Across the UK more than 400 staff from 15 different offices took part in the Darkness to Light walk, including 100 from the three Scottish offices in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

Since launching Green Light to Talk during Mental Health Awareness Week in 2016, the company has increased its campaign to encourage open conversations about mental health in the workplace.

Lindsey, who is also a mental health first aider, added: "We want our whole workforce to be happy and healthy.

"That includes people being able to talk about their mental health without any fear of stigma and knowing they will be given support."

Lynsey Gardiner, who works in marketing for PwC, was one of the team who headed in to the office just after 7am yesterday to take part in the walk.

She said: "Wellbeing is really important and it's something I talk about with my friends and family.

"People who are struggling with their mental health should be treated in the same way as people who are struggling with physical health problems.

"If someone has a broken leg then we don't shy away from talking about that - so why should it be different with mental health?

"It needs to be something we feel we can talk about."

Her colleague Jason Cohen walked with her.

He said: "I think it has been nice to take a step back.

"It's a new year so it's good to pause and think about what we want to do away from being caught up in the day job, especially out in the fresh air like this.

"It's also nice to be in an environment where people are understanding and be able to talk to people to people in an environment that's open."

The company says that, since making mental health a clear focus with its Be Well, Work Well initiative, staff have been coming forward in increasing numbers to share their mental health experience.

Stories shared have been been published internally to help other staff who might be experiencing similar issues, such as stillbirth, men’s health, sexuality and coming out, and suicide.

Employee Stephen Moss also took part in the pre-breakfast walk.

He added: "I took part not because I have had any struggles with my mental health but because I do know people who do.

"Getting out in the morning and doing a bit of exercise really sets you up for the day.

"PwC is a supportive place to work and doing things like this shows that. It's been nice this morning that so many people have taken part."